The History of Tomorrow
by Yeyinde
Summary: When an ancient war leads Earth to be taken over by the Yautja, a child of a survivor must deal with new and old feelings from her past, in order to be in the present, while live on to know her future.
1. Synopsis

The History of Tomorrow

Synopsis

Authors Note: Dear readers, I don't really know about this one but I can tell you I have it working in my head. But I don't know if I should continue with it. I have 'The Ripple of a Stone' already going but this could be a side thing. Tell me what you think, and maybe I will continue with it. But just a clue for if and when I go on with it, it is a Yautja/Ooman love story, so…beware!

E.M.

My name is of no importance. Your name is of no importance. You may think it is. And you may feel it is. But you should know, you mean dick all to the universe. There was a war, a war that we didn't know of and it had been raging on for millennia. Between two giants, two colossal species and yesterday was the day that the war ended, and today is the day that my world was being invaded. They had no names, these giants that have taken my world. Their words are unspoken by human lips, their faces unseen by human eyes. But they have seen ours.

Oh yes, they have seen ours.

We found out what they were doing to us, hunting us. Seems they would come here for sport, taking who ever they deemed worthy as trophies, their skulls as spoils from the game. But no sooner did we catch on, did they stop. We considered it was because they thought it was too much of hassle to hunt us any longer. But we were way off. Their war with another species, one that could rival them, one that had already taken our world before humans even evolved, had come to the brink of an end. The conclusion to the conflict was waged in the skies, in the black of space were we never saw it. Where we didn't even know it happened. But our hunters won, they obliterated their enemies, swiftly and mercilessly.

What we didn't know until later in the take over when it was all done and finished, was that the creator species that had taken our world countless years ago, was the reason the dinosaurs died. They were the reason for human beings being created. They saw our world as an experiment, as one giant fucking scientific breakthrough, but man…were they disappointed. They thought we would become like them, an extension of their species but we changed on our own. Adapting to this planet. Once they figured what had become of us, they left us to die as a man would do to a dying dog. Left us to our own pathetic ways, our speech, and our customs. Our hate.

That's what made them discard us like nothing. Our pure, unadulterated, hate. They watched us from the beginning, from homo-habilis to us now, homo-sapiens. About mid way through they gave up, unwilling to deal with us any longer. They had no idea that the animals that were already here would turn us into frightened killers. Ruthless and reckless with what was given to us. And so they left us. But the second they heard the giants were hunting us, which was to long ago to remember from what I was told, they started a war to keep their _precious_ experiment untainted. That was their excuses at the time. To keep these hunters away from us. But the hunters didn't care of what they wanted and continued with their games. But they soon came to a stand still, until one day the hunters slaughtered the others.

And that was it.

Our world was in their territory now, everything that was once the creator species was now theirs. And they showed it. They came down to Earth in their giant vessels, completely encompassing the entire planet. They didn't make contact with the ruling governments, and so they fired on the ships. Resulting in, where ever the shots came from, to be bombarded with hunters, to subdue whom ever it was who was ordering the shooting. Within hours our world fell to them, the governments demolished, our way of life gone.

But it was actually for the better.

The creator species was right to leave us. We had become too hardened to our fellow man, so unfeeling. About ten years before the hunters took us, we had our last world war. There was an old saying, "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." And they were right. What the hunters took from the creators was nothing but a run down world, so many people abandoned the big cities for shelter from our own pitiful war, that all that was left were power hungry assholes with to much money and firepower. However, when the hunters came, they were the first to die. They did us a favor. At the time we didn't know of anything, not of who these giants were, not of what they had done or what they wished to do. But we soon found out.

They are known as the Yautja. The hunters of the universe and they rule their lands with an iron fist. They were never people to take kindly to insolence, or disrespecting Oomans, as they called us, so any who tried to go against them, died. Not to long after that, the world actually went into a peace. Towns and cities were rebuilt. Small governments were allowed to govern certain districts allotted by the Yautja. But never once did someone revolt. Actually that's not true. Someone did try once. His name was Bartin Matthews. And he was an idiot. He went up to the high Elder one day and spit in his face, saying they should have stayed away. And to the astonishment of all, Ooman and Yautja alike, the Elder did nothing but wipe the mucus away and said, "Such temper on a pray species is welcomed here. But your disrespect is not." Seconds later, Bartin Matthews head was in the Yautja Elders hand, while his body was being carted off to be buried.

Bartin Matthews, was my grand father. His wife, my grandmother, was pregnant with their second child, a son, when the world was taken, and in the struggle, she died. Not even the baby could have been saved, and so Bartin was left with his only surviving child. His daughter, my mother, Anya. When he died, my mother was seventeen and had to live with family to survive the take over. But somehow she did and when she was older, she married and had me. She didn't teach me what her father did. Which was to hate the Yautja. She taught me what was wrong with what they did. Not with what they are. She taught me that to live in this world you had to be strong, and she made me strong, no matter how I begged and pleaded not to do as she asked, I would always end up doing as she wised. During a raid of my families' store, my mother died. I was four at the time and my father had to raise me alone. It amazed me that with everything my mother did to me, to make me strong, was a vacation to what my father did. Everyday he would train me, to be invincible to others. To be untouchable by any hand then who I ask to be touched by.

When I turned twenty, my father died from old age. He had been past his sixties when he met my mother. He had already lost his family during the take over and thought that he could have another with Anya. And he did. Everyday he would tell me that I was worth everything that had happened. Everything he had gone through was nothing compared to having me. That no pain he ever felt, no sadness he ever held could over shadow the love he had for me. It was four years ago today that he died.

And it was four years ago today that I became what I am. Perhaps I should tell you my name now. My name is Kella Matthews. My name means warrior and that is what I am. In my city in which I live in, renamed Acropolis from what ever it was before, I am the caretaker of my district. Some tell me that it is the ruling bodies job to do so, but they don't do shit. The family's store is robbed almost everyday, and on those days, I track, hunt down and kill those who took our goods. The laws had changed from what it was before to Yautja law. And I liked them. I got to fulfill my insatiable desire to fight and getting to kill those who wronged my family, it was a plus. Everyday I would wake and ready myself to go out and talk to the families in my district. Every now and then I would have to slap around a kid to keep them inline to listen to their parents. This world today is not a world to fuck with your parents' word. One wrong step and you can cross paths with a Yautja and then, well…I'll say nice things at your funeral.

I remember the first day I saw a Yautja. That day was a day to remember and a day to forget.

I was nine I think. I had just come from the grocery store with two giant bags full of food and as I was walking home, I walked through the one street where no Ooman was meant to walk on. That street is befittingly called 'M-di H'chak', which in Yautja means 'no mercy'. Any Ooman caught there would be killed instantly if seen and that day I crossed the street, I was seen. I had accidentally taken a wrong corner to get home and just kept walking. The bags were tall, over my eyes and I had no idea were I was going until I hit something. I remember falling, all the food flopping to the ground. I can vividly remember curing because the eggs broke, they were the last carton in the store and father wished to make me a birthday cake. While that day was not my birthday, the next day was. However, when I looked up to apologize to whom ever I hit, I thought that I would never see my birthday.

It was the high Elder, the same one my grandfather spit on, and he was staring down at me with those all knowing eyes. Watching me gather my food before I realized who it was and where I was. But once I saw him, I looked around and in that second, I could almost hear my stomach doing back flips. I knew it was him because of his Awu'asa. It had a long black cape swimming behind him and the armor was the color of night. He however was the complete opposite to his Awu'asa. When I hit him, he actually chucked as he watched me fall. I didn't know it at the time but I didn't know what the sound meant until I was older. He had at least thirty others behind him, some wearing their masks, some not. The Elder didn't have his on and when my eyes first saw his face, I fell back down. My mouth was agape and my muscles couldn't move. Even as my mind kept yelling 'get up, get up and run!' I just sat there.

One of the Yautja standing beside him, who had a major temper problem, roared at me and I screamed in pure fear. But to my shock, the Elder held his hand up to silence him and of course he became quiet. I started to drift away form them but the Elder saw me and hissed at me, I stopped instantly and froze. The Elder started to make clicking and chirping sounds to some around him and they backed up a few steps as he slowly knelt down. He had to brush my favorite vegetable, cauliflower, away as he his knee we down. I inwardly cursed him for ruining it, but like hell was I going to say anything. The Elder had to lean ever lower to my view, and it was a view!

His molted black, brown and white skin was almost delicately painted on him. The ringed black dreadlocks that hung from the back of his head were turning a gray and his face was slowly showing his age. But he carried it with nobility I had never seen. Even as his honey colored eyes burrowed into my soul, I couldn't feel anything but instant respect for him as a being of power. I guess I had gasped or something because he laughed at me again, his mandibles clattered together and a soft clicking came from him. When he reached out to me, I did one of the stupidest things I had ever done, but again he laughed at me. The training my mother and father gave me showed through the moment his hand went for me and I kicked it out of the way and rolled away from him to stand on my feet. I went down into a fighting stance and readied myself to be killed, but if I was going to die, I was going to get him too, kind of. Well, as much as an Ooman can hurt a Yautja.

But the Elder simply stood and gazed at me. Those behind him hissed in both surprise and anger when I hit him. But he didn't care. He and I just kept our eyes on the other. I was waiting for him to charge, he was waiting for me to give up. But I wouldn't, I was trained to stay in one position for hours and I was ready to do so but after about ten minutes, the Elder was board. He sighed loudly and halfheartedly extended a combat staff, I actually flinched at the sudden sound.

"Do you intend on standing there all day?" The Elder said to me. I nearly fall over just then, I wavered a little from me stance and he used it. The Elder ran at me so fast that I didn't even know he moved until the staff hit may leg. I screeched and fell hard on the ground, but I knew not to stay still when attacked so I jumped, as best I could, away from him. I headed for one particular grocery bag because I had the honor of buying a new knife for when we skin our food, and today was the day that I bought it and I knew it would come into good use right then. I quickly emptied the bag of it contents and grasped the knife. It first I raised it up him but it still had the bloody plastic on it so I had to rip that off before I could use it. The Elder again laughed at me, thinking me holding a long knife like that was absolutely comical. But I didn't know what kind of sounds he was making so I brushed it off. "Such a little thing like you couldn't do anything to me with that." He said to me in a forced voice.

"Wanna bet?" I spat. The Elder was just a tad put off by my rudeness, he fell into a stance just as I did and growled at me. The sound penetrated my body like nothing I had ever felt, my lungs rattled and I could feel jolts of fear climb my spine. I had to take a few steps back when he finished, I was so scared at that moment I couldn't believe what I was doing. Here I was, fighting a Yautja with a skinning knife while he had staff. I think the odds were a little in his favor, but that wouldn't keep me from fighting for my life. "You should take my life quick, end my family line just as you started to!" I screamed.

"End your family line?" The Elder asked with confusion.

"Thirteen years ago, my grandfather spat in your face and told you that you should have never come here. And you killed him, I guess now you can kill the family line before I bare children."

"Why do you assume I am going to kill you?" The Elder asked, intrigued that he would meet the grandchild of the one Ooman to get the best of him.

"I am standing on the 'M-di H'chak' street. This is the road that if any Ooman steps on, they will die when seen. And you have seen me, haven't you?" I growled.

"You know Yautja?" He asks quickly.

"A few words. Like that means 'no mercy'. So get it over with or you will regret waiting." The Elder laughed at me again. I didn't know it at the time, but those Yautja watching were his family too. His mates and children. There were also some other Elders from his clan, but I didn't care then. Or now really. I was trying to live, that's all. And I truly thought that I was going to die on that street, I wouldn't have been so rude if I didn't know I was going to die.

"Get your death over with? I don't know about that…" At the moment, my gut hurt so badly, I thought he meant that my death would be slow, painful. I hesitated and again, the Elder noticed and used it. He charged me with his staff aimed at me. I didn't know that he wasn't aiming for anything vital, he just wished to play with me because he thought it was funny that my family had such strange members. But I jumped from the incoming sharp point and somersaulted towards the Elder. As I rolled out, I extended my knife and cut his leg, deep. He roared in both pain and surprise. I ran a few feet away from him and he turned around to me. His face was so scary to me then, his eyes were practically glowing and his mandibles were spread wide in anger. Before I could do a dam thing, he ran at me again and back handed me so hard that I instantly lost conscience.

It turned out that the Elder didn't kill me after all, I think you guessed that, but he had done something to me that I didn't think I would ever understand. He had marked my face with a strange symbol that, to me, looked like what painter would use to depict a seagull from far off. Just two bumps. Kind of like a squished and spread out 'm'. He put it right in between my two eye brows, it was no bigger then an inch long but it is clearly visible when you look at me. The Elder someone how got me to the district office and left me there for them to work out where I was supposed to go. They even added more points to my families' food card. Money had all but gone after they came, they think that money is a stupid way of trading but to make the transition easier, the district would give food cards and each month the same amount of points are added to each person and from that, we buy our food. That was a long time ago though. Today we work on a trade alone, it works fine. But every now and then someone would try and cheat my family with rancid meat in exchange for the metal crafts we make.

ANYWAYS! Back to what happened. I woke up in the local district office and my father was standing over me with horror on his face. He kept going on about how I didn't come home and then he got a call to come get me. Even the people at the office don't know how I got there, my guess was that the Elder felt some pity for me and sent me there. When I told my father about the Elder, he got so angry at me. For months after that, we trained three times a day and he didn't let me leave the house for about a year.

So everyday I wake to the Elders sign on my brow, and because of that the people in my district both fear and love me. I protect them but then again, I did something to merit a mark from the Yautja. They come down to Earth erratically. In one year we would see them a hundred times while in another we would see them twice. But each time they came, my father would force me to hide. The city people would pretend that I didn't exist and I would wait for the Yautja to leave. I felt pathetic waiting though. It felt wrong to just hide. But when my father died, no one could force me to do that anymore. And for the past four years, I had gone unseen by the Yautja.

That's is, until this year.

Pronunciations

Bartin **Bart in**

Kella **Key La**


	2. Ooman, 1 Yautja, 0

The History of Tomorrow

Ooman, 1. Yautja, 0.

Authors Note: Alright, I will go on with this story **for now** but that may mean that one story is updated more then the other. I am going to post a few chapters of this, so if you like it, say it or it will simply go away. But if I do keep it, I will never show favoritism because 'The Ripple of a Stone' is my baby. 'The History of Tomorrow' I guess is its cousin. I am going to try and get as many chapters for this one out because I have so much of it ready in my head that I just need to get it out. Alright, down to brass taxes here. I do not own Predator, no money earned, excreta. Now! I will be using some names between the two stories (but not connection between the two characters), and some information, like things I have made up in the Yautja world and how Yautja see like us. So if you must, read 'The Ripple of a Stone' to get the gist. But if you don't want to, you're missing out! **Warning time**. This story will get steamy and fast (With in four chapters). So be afraid! If depictions of sexual intercourse and/or murder/death are not something you wish to read, then this is not your story. Go away. But if you are turned on by the Yautja, just as I am, read on my fellow 'Xenophilia' people. Read on!

E.M.

Kella woke up as any other day. Her room was whiter then snow and she loved it. While every other person would have a bed and a nightstand, even desks or what ever, Kella only had her bed which was set right in the middle of her large room. Too many times before she would wake to someone in her room, trying to kill her for something she did or rape her because they crossed her open window. But she killed them all with ease and then went back to sleep to clean the mess in the morning. That night however was a peaceful one. Her fluffy white bed linens were extremely comfy, and her pillow…Oh she loved her pillow. Her house was robbed once, but not a lot was taken, and she spent days searching for whom ever did it, just to get her pillow back. She never locked the doors any more. Never closed the windows because she had never met another Ooman she couldn't handle. So she never worried about someone trying to get into her house, she didn't have a lot they would like anyways. It was full of her weapons, her armor and nothing else. Well, you can count the food but that doesn't matter.

"I don't want to get up yet!" Kella hisses to the alarm clock that had yet to stop. But with one swift swipe of the hand, the clock stops its annoying shrieking and Kella sighs in relief. Somehow she knew today was going to be a good day. The morning was beautiful as she walks by the window, she steps out onto the small trance in her white underwear and snug black tank top to wave good morning to the five old men that were always there playing aged games, chess is the favorite this month. Last month it was go fish. She slowly walks into her white bathroom and starts to brush her teeth.

"Good morning Kella." The Automated voice calls out.

"Mrnmon." She says with a nice glob of toothpaste froth falling down her chin.

"The current conditions are good. The temperature for today will have a high of 31 degrees and a low of 14 degrees tonight." When the cities were rebuilt, the Yautja built them with their own materials. Everything was done to the highest standards, well, their standards, but living was good. But there was one giant draw back. They still hunted when they wished. It only took one Unblood or Young Blood with to much to prove and wipe of a whole block. But they never let it go to far. The Arbitrators were always watching, seeing over their kin when they hunt. But one thing that still innerves her is there Chivas. A ritual where Kainde Amedha are used to test the Unblood, to be sure they can be called Yautja and are given the title of Young Blood. They, however, are not done on any main land. They are done on some far off island where they can be controlled. Once, a very long time ago, Kella actually saw a Kainde Amedha head and she was envious. They looked like the most challenging pray and she wished to go hunt them, but she was Ooman. She would never be allowed to.

"Any messages?" Kella asks the voice named Ken, after Barbie and Ken because the voice was so strong and masculine and yet, girly.

"Four messages. Do you wish to hear them?"

"Yes." She barks.

"Message one: _Kella honey, its Aunt Ellen, we had some trouble yesterday at the shop with some kids from the Beta District. They said they would be by the shop today and I am worried. So when you get this can you please drop by. Maybe when they see you they will think twice. But besides that…HOW ARE YOU?" _Kella smiles at her Aunts strange ability to switch from fear to happiness in a split second, but that's who she is. "_I hope you had a good morning, I know they are tough for you. Our family are not morning people. So grab a coffee and head over. I'll be waiting!" _Her Aunt sings.

"Delete." Kella says. Once she was finished with brushing her teeth, washing her face and yawning again, she heads over to her closet to pick out today's clothing.

"Message deleted. Message two: _Hey Kella, its James. Listen, I think we need to talk. I don't think we can keep seeing each other. I hope we can still be friends. Bye."_ Kella snickers as her current boyfriend, well…ex-boyfriend now, broke it off with her. It was going fine until she told him about her mark, about her family and the Elder. And then, well, you heard the message. But she didn't care. She goes through so many men these days that she could hardly remember this ones name.

"Delete." Kella opens her closet doors and is met with the current stupid fashions. When the Yautja came here, the world still kept its fashion but as the years went on, the Oomans took Yautja style as a precedent and now, they dress like them. She pulls on a small pair of white underwear and slips it on before attaching a long, white, ankle length loincloth that only covers about five inches of her front and ten at her back. The sides of her legs were showing, but she didn't mind. It showed off her muscular form.

"Message deleted. Message three: _Kella you punk, why weren't you at Blade last night? The club was amazing! Until some asshole Yautja came in and decided to skin one of the bouncers. But what ever! You should have been there. Call me sweetie." _Kella sighs at her friends' voice. Mercedes was a very strange girl to say the least. She actually thinks that some Yautja are attractive. She might as well go out and pauk a crab, no Yautja would lay a hand on an Ooman that way. She takes a small bikini style bra, white in color, and snugly fits her breasts in to their home for the day. Kella then puts on a white long sleeve shirt but the back was cut out and the front dipped low to show some cleavage. But the shirt was tight enough to show all of her muscles, the odd ripple of muscles along her stomach and arms. She didn't really come into a feminine form until much later in life. She bloomed like a flower in summer once she hit puberty. She grew to a tall five foot seven and came into a true Ooman female figure. Wide hips, a shapely waist and a pair of amazing boobs, at least she thinks so. Some of the guys in her district think she's too muscular, but she doesn't give a shit. One wrong word from them and they were dead.

"Delete"

"Message deleted. Message four: _I don't know who this is but you listen to me bitch!" _Kella stops what she was doing, which was walking back into her room, and listens to an unfamiliar voice. "_The Alpha and Beta Districts are my turf now, you will abide by my law now. Or else I will pauk-de carve my name, 'The White Dragon' into your skin. You got that you pauk-de whore!" _Seems she had someone else to kill. Today is going to be a good day.

"Delete."

"Message deleted." Kella walks into her room and makes the bed before leaving. As she walks out, she goes down to the main floor and into the other bed room where she kept everything that should be in a room. The large desk, full of her business records for her families shop, was the largest thing in the room. She walks and sits at her makeup desk and sighs at the reflection. Her shoulder length dark red hair, the color of dried blood, had a bad case of bed head and her blue eyes seemed dull. She hasn't had her coffee yet. The swiftly combs her hair tame, well almost, it still goes into it's 'almost there' waves. She decides not to do anything to it today. It's just a 'let it hang' say. While on some days she would glam up and wear a pound of makeup, she didn't feel like it today. So Kella went for a simple necklace that hung down on her back with a small white charm on the end.

"Ken." She calls out.

"Yes." He answers.

"Please tell me that we have coffee…" Kella whines.

"No coffee in pantry." He says coldly. She will have to go to a shop to get one. No matter. Kella takes one last look in the mirror and smiles as she looks at a small picture that was taped to the corner. It was of her and her mother. She looked just like her. Red hair and blue eyes. But their personalities are polar opposites. Anya was kind, gentle and would never kill another. It's ironic that her inability to kill is what allowed her to be killed. Some gang from the Beta District wanted to have the metal work her family is known for and tired to steal it all. They ended up killing Anya, and that was it. Kella killed them all of course. Not one lived to go into their thirties.

Kella quickly left her other room and started for the door. She straps on a nice pair of white shoes that laced up like old roman shoes and did them tightly so they didn't unravel. She was just about out the door when she remembered that her Aunts message and ran to her armory room in the basement. Kella turns on the light and smiles at her arsenal. Old Ooman weapons were there just for show. Old 'guns' as they were called were shown off in glass boxed and ancient weapons were protected by a think glass wall. The ones she will use today though were the best she could get. Some we actually made by her family. And some were Yautja. She knew to never use any Yautja weapons while there were in the city, she would be killed instantly for using their weapons. But they weren't due for weeks so she decided to go Yautja today. Kella wraps a belt around her waist loosely and places on two long daggers, a whip that took years to learn how to use right, two shurikens and some metal line used by the Yautja to hoist up bodies. She also grabs a small white eye mask as she leaves. The sun is sometimes too much so a thick piece of leather, died white, with slits for her eyes would help her if she needs to go after someone today.

"Good morning Kella." Old man Heller yells from across the street. Kella respectfully bows to them, in true Yautja form, and says good morning back. It was only a short walk to the main street in her neighborhood. Here was where the shops were located and the one she was going to first was the coffee shop. She had a craving for old fashioned today, with cream and sugar. Kella stopped noticing the stares she got as she walks to get her fix, she was used to it. Everyone was still on the whole 'she was marked by the Elder' thing and now it was getting old. The people at the coffee shop however were used to her, they didn't mind her coming in now and then. That just meant if they had any trouble with gangs, she would help. Kella always offered help to local business if she was in contact with them. And today, the owner of the shop was glad to see her.

"Kella, hello!" He bellows. Mr. Marks, the owners, was as fat as a walrus but as smart as a fox.

"Hello to you too. How is business?" Kella says as a server gets her order ready.

"Fine. Fine. Just fine." Kella sighs as gives him a tired look. "Some punk has taken over the Beta District circle and thinks he can come here and ordered us to pay for 'protection'. He is doing this to everyone, his name is,"

"The White Dragon." Kella says before him. "I got a message from him this morning, and he didn't sound to happy. Don't worry Mr. Marks. You won't have to worry about him to much longer." Mr. Marks respectfully nods to her then gets back to work. The trip to her shop was almost uneventful. Some people would nods to her and some would cross the street to get away from her. But Kella smiles large when she sees a group of small children start running at her. She quickly places her coffee in the ledge of a building and readies herself for an attack. Mrs. Shell, the nursery teacher, was walking her kids too class when they spotted her. They loved her so much, they didn't seem to care about the Elder or any of the things people say. All nine of them lunge at her and cling to her as she says hello to each and every one, but one was missing. With a quick glance, Kella found Tiffany walking sadly behind her teacher, crying her little eyes and sniffing. Kella asks the kids that were attached to her to let her go and they do so without question.

"Kella…" Tiffany sniffs.

"Oh sweetie, what's wrong?" Kella ask as she plops herself onto the ground, allowing Tiffany to climb onto her and hug her.

"I had a bad dream…" Tiffany cries.

"Oh you did!" Kella over exaggerates her surprise for her. "What about?"

"A Yautja was running after me…"

"Oh no. I tell you what, if you have a dream like that again, you should just turn around to him and say 'Hi Yautja, I'd like to be your friend'."

"Will that work?" Tiffany asks while whipping away her tears.

"Well I don't know, but if it doesn't you will wake up and then you can try it again next time. I doubt any Yautja would be able to withstand you!" Kella starts to tickle her mercilessly and Tiffany screams and shrieks in laughter. "I have to go guys" She stands tall and lets Tiffany go. "But I will see you later, ok?" All the kids unanimously beg her to and she waves good bye to them as she picks up her coffee. Her shop wasn't to far away now, she could already smell the burring wood from the heaters as she walks closer and closer. But she didn't hear what she should be. Usually her Aunt would be singing, she was always singing in the mornings.

Some thing is wrong.

Kella drops her coffee and dashes to her shop. The door to the steal gray building was ajar and she could make out muffled cries. She runs in to her shop, growling as she does and she was met with four men, one holding down her Aunt, another with her Uncle and knife point and two were stuffing the metal work into a bag. Within an instant, Kella opens a shuriken and expertly flings it at the man holding her Uncle. Before the gang guy could do a thing, his head was cut off at his ear and his dead body drops to the floor. But the weapon didn't stop there. It bounces off the wall and heads right for one of the guys who was stealing and hits him square in the chest. Usually it would have gone right through him, but it had ricocheted from the wall, loosing momentum and now it was stuck in him. But Kella didn't care. She already charged the one holding her Aunt down and slams herself into him. Together they crash into a wall, and the guy screams in pain as Kella starts to punch and kick him. She twists her body around until he was on the ground, belly down as she was on top his back. And with on quick twist, Kella breaks his neck.

"Kella…The last one is getting away!" Her Uncle Shane yells at her. Kella was off the dead body in a second and as she runs out, she grabs her weapon from the one guys chest and pulls it from his bloody body. Kella runs out of her shop but stops as she gets out. She can see the last guy running with a bag of her family goods but she just waited for a moment. Kella takes a deep breath and with one hand places on her white eye mask she took with her. The sun was abnormally bright today and she was thankful she brought it. It covered her eyes wonderfully, it covered her face from over her brows to the mid of her nose. You can't even see her eyes unless you look up from below her. The blood from the shuriken was dripping on the ground, the soft trickle sound was oddly soothing to her as she waits for just a moment longer.

And then she was off.

The crowd parts for her as she runs. They knew not to get in the way of Kella when she was like this, but every now and then someone stupid would think they didn't need to and she would crash into them, she would be fine, but they always had something broken. She would concentrate on the person in front of her, the one she was after and today it was a gang member. He was a skinhead, his head balder then a newborns ass. He was wearing a black leather vest with a picture of a white dragon on the back, _I wonder who he's from…_ this guy didn't wear a loincloth though, he was wearing old style leather pants that were slowing him down. The guy takes a sharp corner, but Kella was quick to compensate. She had lost count of how many turns this guy made, and so she didn't know where she was headed.

But by the last turn, she was close enough to get her whip out and get him. Kella grabs hold of her metal whip from her side and lets the long lace string out and fall to the ground. Something caught her eyes though, the guy was headed to the end of the street they were on and if he gets here, then she might loose him. And so desperately, Kella heaves the whip at him just as he reaches the end of the street. But he kept going forwards, and not to the side like Kella expected, and so, the whip wrapped around his neck just as he reached the middle of the street. Kella yanks it back, and the noose around his neck tightens to make him bleed and he falls backwards from the pull. Kella was swift in pulling the guy to her by way of the metal whip. She straddles his chest and with her shuriken in hand, she mercifully ends the gang members' life by slitting his throat in one move. Kella unenthusiastically unravels the loop around the guys' neck and winds her whip back up before placing in back onto her hip. She takes the bag at the guys side and looks through it to find allot of expensive merchandise that could get a good trade value when sold. Sighing, she stands up and shakes her head at the scene. The kid must have been around fifteen, he should be in school but he's in a gang and odds are, he was a drug addict. Drugs are their own currency around here, but since Kella became the ruling authority, the Alpha District was clean. But this guy, this 'White Dragon' wants to get in on it.

Kellas heart sinks as she finally notices the red petals from a rose scattered on the ground. This can only mean on thing, the Yautja are in the city. And she was once again, on the 'M-di H'chak' street. But maybe they weren't here yet. The city wasn't ready for them to come yet, they must have just told them to get ready and maybe they weren't landed yet.

But her hopes die when she hears a hiss from her right.

Kella slowly stands straighter then an arrow and freezes when she hears someone growl at her. Little by little, she turns her head to the sound and from what she saw, she would have gladly died that day so many years ago. There before her were at least fifty Yautja, all males and all staring at her too intently. They were all outfitted in black Awu'asa, so she never noticed the Elder in the middle of the crowd. What she was looking at now was the shuriken in her hand, and the large group of about ten Yautja stalking towards her.

"C'jit." Kella whispers to herself. She had to get out of there and now. She couldn't be caught with Yautja weapons, no way, no how! Kella speedily closes the shuriken and places in into her belt. And with a devious smile, Kella runs back down the street from where she came.

_Earlier that day…_

Elder Rhd couldn't get the days events out of his head. He had heard from his first son who is also his second in power that some Unblood decided to go into the Alpha District of the Ooman city called Acropolis and had gone on an unauthorized hunt. Skinning a male and then leaving. The Unblood is still in the district though, he had found out that the Elder knew of his hunt and hide from them. Trying to keep from getting into trouble but all that has done is make Elder Rhd even more heated. They had already informed the local District office of their arrival and should be landing on the entry street any moment.

"Elder Rhd." His second and son, Aja, calls for him. "We have landed and are ready to leave the ship." The Elder gives him an acknowledging nod and turns to leave. He felt that today was going to be a good day, hunting an Unblood recently turned Bad Blood makes his blood pulse with anticipation. Together they walk the black halls of the ship until the reach the hunters' bay. They had a team of the fifty best hunters to track down this Bad Blood.

It was going to be a good day indeed.

"I don't have preference if this male is brought back dead or alive. I just wish for his head. Whether is it attached to a breathing body, that is up to who finds him." Elder Rhd tells the team going in to hunt. There were separated into five teams of ten. The Elder would be going on his own, just for kicks.

The door opens to fall to the ground to make a ramp and everyone gracefully walks down. Elder was of course in front, with his second behind him and the others in single file in lines of ten. But one line had only nine, this being Ajas' group. The entry street, which the Oomans humorously call 'M-di H'chak', is where all Yautja coming to see the city would walk on to enter the city. The tops of the governing office were waiting for them at the side of the street, they bow to them as they walk by and Elder Rhd nods to them in response. As the tradition goes, the Yautja group would walk to the end of the short street and kneel down before a statue of Paya. The Great Warrior. And ask for good fortune in the hunt.

But today was a little different.

They were less then a hundred feet from Paya when an Ooman male runs out of an adjoining street and right before them. Elder Rhd was about to run at him, to kill him for walking on the road when a long length of metal rope comes out of no where and wraps itself around the males throat. In an instant, the male was down, bleeding from the noose, and was being dragged back. The entire group stops to watch as he gets dragged by the metal rope and when it stops they see an Ooman female, covered in white with her face sheltered by a mask, straddle the male and kill him quickly, with one of _their_ weapons.

"Aja." The Elder barks. But Aja was already going for her with his team. He and the other nine starts to walk to the female but she seemed to not know of where she was, she was preoccupied with a bag. Only when she stood did Aja hiss to get her attention. The female slowly turns to him, he cannot see her eyes as they were covered, but he knew the sly smile that crept to form by her strange mouth. In a speedy move, the female closes the shuriken and twists down the road she just came from. "Get her!" The Elder roars.

He didn't need to say it twice.

Aja and his group were off faster then you could say 'Pyode Amedha'. The female was fast, but not fast enough. The group of ten was closing in on her but Aja knew not to simply run behind her. He motions with his hands for a few of males to go down bordering streets and then cut her off. Two go in each direction, leaving six to keep behind the female. She hadn't looked back once, but she knew they were still there.

Kella was feeling exhilarated, and running on pure adrenaline, she runs with the Yautja foot steps behind her. But then she heard some move off, not good. She didn't have time to look back at how many were there so she decides to make a move and turns to her right down the familiar street in this neighborhood. Some of the Yautja behind her hiss at the move, and Kella giggles a little when she hears a few of them trip on the sandy ground and fall. She takes another right, but it was a bad mistake. There were two Yautja running at her and she was blank on what to do. The pair in front of her roar at her with all they had and Kella could feel that jolt of fear climb her spin again. She can't get caught, she had to much to do to die today. Kella could do the only thing that came to her and she starts to do cartwheels, one after the other until she finally got enough momentum to jump off with all the strength in her legs, propelling herself over the running Yautja.

Those behind her were stunned, those in front, were pissed. They had let the female through and now they were headed for their own. Thankfully though, they were ready for the incoming Yautja and quickly jump out of the way just incase they couldn't slow down fast enough and hit someone of the group running behind her. But as Kella fell to the ground, she heard at least one of the Yautja she jumped over hit someone else and she had to hold down laughter as she starts running again. Before she knew it, the 'M-di H'chak' was just a head of her. If she could just get through that street then she can go 'the long way around' to get home. And can lose these guys in a flash. She just needs to get to the other side of the street and she would be home free!

The first few rose petals squish beneath her shoes and she nearly slips from the flower. Kella accidentally squeaks from the almost fatal fall, and those hunters that weren't following her turn just in time to see her run by. It felt like she was running in slow motion. Kellas head turns to the remaining group as she sprints, and every single one hisses in surprise to see her again. Kella just had to smile, she just had to! But that made them mad and few more join the chase as she disappears into an alley.

"C'jit. C'jit. C'jit." Kella whispers. She went down the wrong road and it was a dead end. But not all was lost. The Yautja were a few meters behind her and she had time to climb. With her speed, Kella uses the walls as spring boards, jumping off one another until she was high enough to grab hold of the roof and pull herself up. She jumps onto the level top and sighs, but her rest cost her. The horrible crunching sounds from the Yautja and their claws were an eerie reminder that she was being chased by them. In a heart beat, Kella was off again. Running on the roofs of the families she protected and here she was, sprinting away with who knows how many Yautja behind her. For a moment, Kella wondered about the sound she and the Yautja were making to those home. Probably like a herd of Elephants jumping on their house!

"Half of you jump down to track her on ground level!" Aja roars to his following. And instantly, about half hop off and run through the city streets to follow. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, this female was out running them on tricks and skill. In a straight line, she would have been dead already. But this female is smart. Not only had she expertly handled Yautja weapon, but she has proved to have to ability to elude them all. Including himself. Aja is not one to take kindly to Oomans, period. The first time he ever came to this pathetic planet he was a Young Blood. And that was hundreds of years ago by Ooman years. And since then, Aja has only held contempt for the species. They only took this planet because of the 'intelligent' life. All other Yautja occupied Planets have animal life, nothing close to Oomans. And so they are the best pray. But they disgust him. They are weak, useless, and pitiful.

Maybe not this one however.

The only way that Kella was keeping ahead of them all was her knowledge of the city. To know exactly where to go to lose a few of them at a time and slowly but surely, a Yautja was dropping at each roof. Kella kept jumping, from one roof to the next and every time she kept going, she heard less and less pairs of feet behind her.

Until there was only one.

Kella had already gone around the Alpha District boundaries once and now she was heading back around to the large group from where this guy came from. Maybe if he gets close to them he will think it best to let me go. Because it is smart to let pray go, to give them a security to think they are safe. But Kella knew that. And she would use it. Maybe her father was right in keeping her hidden. She was bound to do something stupid like this and she just had to do it with fifty pauk-de male Yautja on the street, right? Pauk, she is so stupid. But all she has to worry about now if the one behind her. Well, she thought that's all she had to worry about when her eyes see that the direction she was headed, the main highway. C'jit. Eight lanes of traffic and there was no other way around. If she turned, he would be there. Even if she changed her heading, the Yautja would get her. But how the hell is she to cross the traffic? And then an idea hit her, the old traffic lights. Kella starts unraveling the hanging string from her side and ties three separate lassos that she can use.

Aja knew something was up when the female started fussing as she ran. He was the only one left, some males were too tired to continue and some he ordered to follow her on ground again. If she thinks she is safe because she only has one following her, she is dead wrong. And when he catches her, she's dead. But gods she was fast, and relentless. Aja couldn't help but look at the female as they jump from building top to building top. Oomans are such a strange species. Their females are small, sometimes frail and weak. But this one…This one is different. Not only was her body unlike other Ooman females, but she moved differently too. Aja watched her odd shaped body twist and tumble in the air as she jumped over a few males. Her peculiar frame made him want to see just what the female could do. She was oddly dressed in all white, making her Ooman blood hair stand out amazingly. But she was not all that strange to him anymore. She already proved that she could kill an Ooman without another thought, she can run, jump and move like no other Ooman. But there was also something else he wanted to know, but he wouldn't let the thought even enter his mind. Aja growls to himself as he sees the female coil a lone rope…_What is she doing?_

Kella saw her chance, she was close to the edge of the last building that boarders the highway and all she had to do was aim right and pray that the noose goes around on traffic light, and from there, she can swing to the other side. But there was one major problem. Actually two. For one thing, the metal is definitely going to cut her hands as she grabs them. And for another, the Yautja behind her was close enough that if he wished, he could jump along with her and also take hold of the rope. But she couldn't think that way. Kella knew that it was either that or death. Death by the Yautja or by being killed from the fall. Either way, she had to do it.

The edge of the building was just a few steps away and Kella readied her first lasso. She starts to swing it to make the hole go around in a circle, to be able to throw it at the light and tie to it. But the Yautja was to close and he kept running. Kella tosses the rope just as her foot get onto the ledge and with all she had, she jumps. In mid air, the lasso gets it mark and tightens around an over hanging light and Kella firms her grip on the line.

Aja wasn't thinking right, he should have known what the female was going to do. He should have looked ahead of them to see what was coming but no. He lost his concentration and looks what's come of it. Ajas stomach fell when his last step was the ledge of the building and his eyes didn't connect with another one. What he saw was the female in mid air, the line attached to a metal overhang and nothing beneath him. He had to think fast. He was either going to drop, jump for what ever he could, or lunge with the female to where ever she was going. He went with the latter. Ajas immensely powerful legs pump with all of his strength and he extends his arms to mimic the female and he wasn't disappointed when he caught the rope.

Kella was however. She had just gotten a good grip on the line when she felt another weight below her. A quick glance down and she lost her breath.

It was him.

The one with the temper problem that roared at her that day so many years ago.

It was him.

She would never forget his mask. She would never forget the terrifying look of him. He was undoubtedly younger then the high Elder, but he was just as tall and large. His skin was a mixture of honey gold, brown and white spots…Just like the Elder. But he was different too. His tresses were a lot longer, but as to how long, Kella couldn't tell at this angle. She could only look down at his mask, which was blacker then night, and terrifying.

Aja on the other hand didn't know what to think of his view. Oomans had taken a cue from Yautja fashions and had started to wear loincloths and such. And right now, he was looking right up to her butt. Aja smirks under his mask at this odd angle, but soon laughs when he sees her face. Her mouth was wide in surprise that he came along for the ride and now, she was starting to move up the swinging line. The noose was holding nicely, but with the added weight of himself, the line was swinging back and forth. One moment it would be close to the building again, and in the other it would be over the bustling traffic. But the female kept moving. In long, calculated jumps, the female starts to climb the rope and Aja was right behind her. But just as he was gaining force, he felt something warn and slimy on his hands. A quick look and he found tell tail Ooman blood. His guess was that the metal line, used to hoist dead pray, was cutting into the females hands. Oomans have weak skin…

Nevertheless Kella kept going. Thrusting with her feet and grabbing with her hands. She had made it half way up the line when she realized she didn't have the time to get her next one ready, if she took another second the Yautja would be on her, and that wouldn't be good. And so she did the only thing that she could. Kella takes out one of her knifes and stops moving. Menacingly, Kella turns back down to the approaching Yautja and gives him a very evil smile. But suddenly, he stops.

_What is she doing? Oh C'jit!_

Aja couldn't make another move as he watches the female lift her legs and move one arm down with a knife in hand to the rope. But she doesn't cut it at first. What was she waiting for? Why doesn't she just cut it? Aja wouldn't just let her cut it, he couldn't let her. With one last effort, Aja tries to grab her by the cuff of her shirt before she cut the line. But he didn't have to wait any longer. Just as his hand reached her skin, the female slices the rope with one swift tug and he was going down. Aja didn't get a good grip on her, but he got her! He fingers unintentionally caught onto something that hung from her neck causing it to snap and his sharp inch long claws entered her skin at the small of her back. Aja was going down and going down hard. At first he thought that he as falling straight down, into the traffic but he was falling at an angle. He looks down as he falls at an unbelievable speed, but he sees the barrier to the traffic lane end, and then he hit it.

The wall.

With a hardened 'ump' Ajas back slams into the wall of the building he just leapt from and he slides awkwardly down and flops onto the ground.

Kella, once the Yautja was off, was quick in getting another noose ready for the second set of lights. Her hands were burning and her muscles her tensing from holding her own weight for so long, but she had to hold on a little longer. Kella starts to swing the length of rope as she did before and hurls it to catch the light once more. The moment it caught on, Kella was gone from the shortened rope, swinging with the new one. But even with the span of the new line, she couldn't reach the other buildings yet. And so she had to do it once more.

Aja had to shake his head as he brushes off the hard landing. He gets up just in time to see the female swing to the last pole. That's what she was doing. Ingenious! Swing across. But something was wrong with the picture. The female was swinging too hard as she went for the last building. Aja zooms in on the picture to get a better view and he watches the female ride the line above the ledge of the roof, at least five meters above it, and let go. He quickly switches to heat signature to watch as her red form falls roughly to the roof top. But why had she waited? She held the knife at the line for at least three or four seconds, but why? What was she waiting for? His landing! If she had cut it when she had the chance, he would have landed in the middle of the Ooman lane, she waited for the swing on the line so he would be propelled to safety. Away from the traffic…But why? Why should she care where he landed? Did she not want to see him hurt? Strange things the Oomans are. Willing to insure the safety of someone who is going to kill them. Strange…

Kella wasn't really thinking about why she waited, about why she didn't want to see that male hurt, she just didn't want to have his life on her back. But the second she was on the roof, she rested there for a moment, letting the stinging from where the Yautja had scratched her slowly fad away. Her landing helped in forgetting the pain though. She had over shot the swing and was punished for it. Kella is going to have road burn from the roof for weeks. But she was safe from them, for now. Groaning, Kella slips off her white leather mask and wipes her eyes of sweat. Slowly though her breathing goes back to normal and she stands with great agony. What ever the Yautja did to her back is horrible. Kella tires to look at it but she cant twist enough, so she goes for touching it. Bad move. Instantly her wounds screams at her hand to go away, and she finds it completely covered in her blood, well… even more so after the line had cut in. Perfect. It's just another cut to fix when she gets home. When a sudden and unexpected burning starts around her neck, Kella remembers that the pauk-de Yautja following her took her charm necklace! THAT PUCK-DE! She runs to the edge of the roof at looks for him, only to find him already staring at her. With her bloodied hand, Kella shows him her favorite expression in sign language.

What the pauk was that sign she gave him? Aja had to switch back to normal vision to see that she had a bloody hand up and she was sticking her middle finger at him. What does it mean? For what seemed like forever Aja was looking at her hand, and then he noticed she had taken off her mask.

_C'jit._

Before Aja could inhale again, the female was gone, running to where ever she wished, but he will find her. It's going to be easy now that he has seen her face. He knows who see is now, and because of that, he has to stop. But his group doesn't know who she is. They must be nearing the Ooman lanes any moment, he needs to COM them to tell them to stop and now!

"Aja to all attending pursuit of the female, stop immediately and get back to the entry way." He roars. Aja ends the COM before any could speak, he didn't feel like arguing about chasing the female. He had no choice now. Now that he knew who she was. And Elder Rhd is not going to be happy. In fact, he might be. He might be pleased to know about that female, to know she still lives. Aja however feels the complete opposite. He was just about to turn and leave when something on the ground glistens from the sun. Aja slowly bends his knees to pick up the strange string the female had on her neck that he had caught with his hands. He grasps it with his large hands and lets the small white charm that hung from a cord of linked metal twist and turn from his movements. It was a strange jewel in the shape of a tear drop and the sacred color of Paya, pearl white. The female likes white. Her robes were all white, including her shoes and now this. Aja will never understand the Ooman preference for color. Its just color for Payas sake! He shakes his head in pure frustration with her and starts back to the Elder. His father has some explaining to do…

"Aja." Elder Rhd barks in surprise to see him, and not the female. "Where is she?"

"Gone." Aja bluntly barks. He and his group, including those who joined in after the female crossed the path again, had come back empty handed and those who were waiting for them including his father, laughed at them for not having her.

"You let the female get away?" Elder Rhd thrills in laughter. His son was clearly angry about it and he just wished to rub it in before the hunt.

"Not I father. YOU!" Aja hisses while walking up to his father. The Elder instantly hisses in anger for being shown such disrespect, even from his son, it didn't matter.

"Get to your meaning fast boy!" Elder Rhd roars.

"Do you remember six season ago, when an Ooman female pup fell from hitting your leg?" Aja asks innocently, the Elder didn't wish to play games today though and growls at him to get on with it. "Well, that was her, she's back."

Authors Note: So…You like? Because I will simply take this story off both ff .net and aff. net if I don't get some type of response. Good or bad! I'll keep doing it if you hate it because I love pissing of people. And I'll keep doing it if you love it. Just tell me! I know I am sounding desperate but I just need to know if I am going to continue.

A special thanks to…

On ff .net : Prairiefire, ben revell, mau'indi, and swift hunter.

On aff .net: shortest warrior, Bee, Cara, Narranasa, Kehlan, and chancelor22.

Pronunciations

Rhd **Red**

Aja **Ah Jah**


	3. Contradictions

The History of Tomorrow

Contradictions

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

"How do you know it is her?" Elder Rhd questions his son.

"She bears the mark of the Protected. How many other Oomans have you given that mark?" Aja says sarcastically. Elder Rhd hisses angrily at his son but doesn't answer. "She still lives! I told you that day to kill her. And now look what's come of it!"

"I gave her that mark to protect her Aja. You know as well as I if she had gone with out it she would have been hunted seasons ago for fighting me like she did." Elder Rhd couldn't understand why it had taken her so long to be found. Surly an Ooman that bares any Yautja mark would stand out. But where had she been all these seasons? Before Aja could get another word in, his father raises his hand to silence him and he turns to the group of waiting Yautja. "The hunt will go as ordered. Ajas group will now be lead by Okie. Nth'ta and Bthm will accompany myself and Aja to converse with the Ooman office. Continue." Elder Rhd swipes his hand at the group and in a moment all who were left was himself, his son and the two he requested.

"What are we doing father?" Aja asks as he and the others follow the Elder back down the entry way to the standing group of Oomans. But Elder Rhd does not answer. He just walks in silence until he is in front of the Oomans. They never once looked at the Elder or the others. They knew to never look up unless spoken to.

"Ooman Harper." Elder Rhd says in Ooman. The man was Jonathon Harper, who is the governor of Acropolis and he slowly looks up to the eight foot tall Elder. "We have had a disturbance and we wish to find the female who had committed the offence." Aja instantly knew that his father wasn't going to do something rash. It was the Elder himself who marked the female so long ago. That day is still fresh in Ajas memory like it was yesterday. They had come in like every other time but an Ooman pup accidentally walked into his father. After she was knocked unconscious by the Elder, he marked her so she would be protected. She had fought him well and the Elder knew that a hunter or two would be waiting for her to age and then hunt her for what she had done. But what really got Aja mad was he was the one who his father sent to deliver her to the District Office. He felt just a tad odd carrying a small Ooman pup around like it was one of his own. Even he never held any of his own pups like that.

"I am sorry Elder, we did not see who it was." Harper explains.

"I believe she will be easy to recognize. She bares a mark of the Yautja, on her brow. She is the only Ooman with it and I am sue you must know of her."

"Oh…" Harper trails off. "You are talking of Kella Matthews." Aja couldn't help but repeat her name in his head. _Kella. Kella. Such an odd name._

"Do you know her to speak too?" Elder Rhd was getting a little irritated about speaking to this Ooman for so long. While most Yautja can verbalize it and understand it, it is not comfortable for the Elder to speak it to this Ooman. He didn't seem right.

"No, only to speak about." Both the Elder and Aja growl at the Oomans disrespect to a female. Well, Aja was angrier about him talking about her rather then being rude about a female. "But yes, she is trouble. She causes my Office great headaches."

"Bring us to her." While the two attending Yautja knew not to question him, Aja was not to smart at that moment.

"Why are we going to see the Ooman female?" Aja growls in Yautja so the Oomans couldn't understand. His father on the other hand pretended that he didn't hear him and just stared at the Ooman trough his mask. The Oomans greasy black hair and dark beady eyes were sickening to Elder Rhd. He just couldn't understand it but this Ooman made him angry.

"Kella lives in this district but I am unsure of where to be exact. I will have to go and look. If you will excuse me?" Elder Rhd grunts at him and the Ooman and his three followers run off and into the small District office on the side of the entry way.

"Are you going to answer my question father?" Aja growls again.

"I have yet to decide if I am going to or not. Perhaps I will know once we get to her dwelling." Elder Rhd laughs. They remain silent until the Oomans came back. Harper tells them the location of her home and offers to accompany them. Elder Rhd says he may come if he wishes, and oh did Harper wish it. For too long he has been trying to get her. To feel her as any man would. No matter what he did she never gave him anything. Maybe now he can watcher her die by the hands of the Yautja. Maybe she will beg him to make them stop…

"KEN!" Kella screams as she runs into her home.

"Greeting Kella. How was your day?" He asks.

"Lockdown!" Without another word, Ken starts to automatically close off her most secret areas. She knew that she shouldn't push out the possibility that the Yautja would find her and she will not allow her belongings to be taken. Her basement, which she dug and built herself after she moved into this house, was not seen by anyone but her own eyes. And she would be dammed if the Yautja saw what was in there. The door to her basement, which looked like a floor to ceiling mirror, would be joined together by other mirrors to make it look as if it belonged there. To hide if from prying eyes. Even if the Yautja go through the spectrums of their mask, they would be unable to the room under her house. There were no heat signatures, no light, nothing. They may see it if they scan it, but the odds of that happening is in her favor. They will probably just come to kill her. Other lockdown procedures were to activate motion detectors on all her windows and doors in case someone would enter she would know about it in a second. But she also knew not to go into 'complete lockdown', that would mean her house would become almost impenetrable, metal walls would fall from the ceiling and cover the inside of her house. Shielding her from those outside by blocking all doors and windows. But if she did that, they would know exactly where to look.

"Contact Shop." Kella, once she slams her door shut, leans against it and slides down until she was sitting so she could call her Aunt to see if she is ok.

"Oh gods Kella. Where have you been? I have been calling and calling. What happened?" Her Aunt Ellen's voice comes over the house COM.

"I got the bag back. But are you two alright?" Kella asks in a hard breath.

"We are fine honey. But where have you been?" She was quiet for a moment. She knew that her Aunt is going to go crazy when she tells her but she needs to know.

"Aunt Ellen…" Kella trails off.

"Oh no, what did you do?" Aunt Ellen asks in a grave tone.

"You know my access codes to the house."

"What did you do?" She asks again.

"The shop records are in the spare room."

"What did you do?" Her voice was becoming frantic.

"The kitchen was just restocked with food."

"KELLA ELIZABETH MATTHEWS! WHAT DID YOU DO?" Her Aunt screams.

"They saw me." Kella whispers.

"Who they?"

"Take one guess." Kella spat.

"The Yautja are not due for weeks."

"Tell that to group of fifty of them on the 'M-di H'chak'." Kella grunts in pain as she stands. Her back was still aching from the Yautja talons and her road burn was in serious need of healing gel. Her entire body needs it.

"What happened, Kella? Please tell me."

"I tracked that one guy and he crossed the street. I didn't even know where I was until it was too late and some chased me. I got away but I can't be sure if something will happen. You know everything that needs to be done if something does."

"Do you want me to come over?"

"NO!" Kella barks. "If they come they will come for me and I don't want you to die because of what I did."

"I guess Mercedes is going to win then?" Out of the blue, Kella keels over laughing. "You did make a bet with her you know. About whether she was going to mate with a Yautja first or you will die by the hands of a Yautja first."

"Yeah, I think I am going to win. You tell her she will owe you the bottle of C'ntlip." Kella laughs. "I should go. I love you Aunt Ellen. Tell Uncle Shane that I love him too, alright?"

"Alright sweetie. I love you too. And don't do anything stupid! If they don't come for you, promise me that you will stay hidden from now on when they come."

"Aunt Ellen…"

"Promise me!"

"I promise." Kella gives in. "I have to go."

"Good bye Kella." With her last words, Kella ends the COM and she starts for her room. She never realized until now, but her life was so full of people she loved, of things she loved and she just messed it all up like that. She is so stupid. How could she have done that? She is so stupid!

"Ken." Kella says softly.

"Yes Kella."

"Ready the shower, hot water." She says as she steps into her room. With great pain, Kella rips off her cloths, throwing them into a corner to be thrown out later. Not only was her loincloth caked in blood, but the cuffs of her shirt were also stained from her hands. She steps into her bathroom, the hot steaming water was steaming up the entire room, and for a moment looks in the mirror. Well, what could be seen from the steam that was on there. Her neck shows a small red line from where her necklace had been torn off her. Her hands had so many tiny paper cut like wounds that she could barely move them and her back. Even as she tried to look at it she sinkers at the sight. Four scrapes about three or four inches long and right on the small of her back. She's going to have scars from them. Even with the healing gel, that she illegally acquired from a dealer, wouldn't keep it from scaring. But that's alright. Right now she just needs to wash. To get the dirt and grim from her body and then she will wait for them. If they come, she will fight. If not…she'll think of what to do when she gets there.

While the Oomans offered to transport the Yautja in one of their bytte, a car like vehicle, the Yautja declined. Walking would allow them to approach the house in silence, in case the female is in. But even if she was, they could get in without her knowing. The Yautja built the city, they know how to shutdown a house with ease. And that's what they did.

Aja silently laughs to himself as they come within sight of her home. And of course, the female had to have it white. It was a stark contrast to the silver and black dwellings around her. But she had to be different. _Kella_. Elder Rhd was the first to walk up to the large front doors. While the Ooman Harper was behind him to access the house. He walks up to the key pad that all houses have for the owner to unlock it and punches in a code that disarms the houses system. And when the automated voices says that all systems are off, Harper steps to the side, after opening the door, and allows the four Yautja to enter first. _Kella really likes white…_ Aja thinks to himself. They walk right into the house and into a living room all furnished in white. To the front of them was a set of stairs and to the other side was the kitchen. They also know there were rooms in the back of the house but Harper knew she wasn't there.

"Are we sure this is the females dwelling?" Elder Rhd asks.

"Without a doubt." Aja thrills in laugher. His father turns to him to find Aja pointing back to the doors they just came through and smeared down the back was Ooman blood.

"Miss. Matthews is in the shower at the time. I can hear the water running." Harper says slyly. They are going to catch her naked…Perhaps when they take her head, he will take her body after…

"Then we will wait for her up there." Elder Rhd points to the stairs and they quickly climb them to the only room at the top floor. "The female seems to have a fondness for the sacred color of Paya." Elder Rhd says in Yautja.

"That she does." Aja laughs. Her room, which was large even to him, was furnished with only a large bed that was right in the middle and that was it. There was one door to which the female could come and go from, and so the four large Yautja, who seemingly didn't need to crouch to fit into her room, make a half circle around the door so she couldn't escape. Again.

After Kella was pleased with her clean body, she turns the shower off and starts to dry herself off. But as she goes into the linen closet, she only finds a small head towel. She will have to go down to the laundry to get another towel but in the mean time, Kella picks up a round tub of healing gel and starts out of the bathroom. She places the towel over her face to get the water off and walks into her room.

But something was off.

Even with the towel on her face, she knew that someone is in her room. They found her. They are in her room. Kella stops in her tracks, drops the tub of gel to the ground and slowly takes the towel from her face. She didn't dare open her eyes. She allows the towel to fall to the ground and she lowers her head.

"Do you think she knows we are here?" Nth'ta sarcastically asks and laughs. Ajas eyes go wide under his mask, she was dripping wet and naked from head to toe. Her eyes we closed, her head was down but she knew they were there. _Kella._ He couldn't get her name out of his head. _Kella. _And he couldn't keep his eyes from trailing down her Ooman body. It was so different from their females. She was small, supple. She even looked delicate but he knew other wise. Her breasts were immaculate, her perfectly round pink nipples were hardening from fear and from the coolness of the water. Her hairless junction between her legs looked rather strange to Aja. He knew that Oomans have patches of fur on them. But where was hers? No matter.

_She's beautiful…_

"Kella Matthews." Elder Rhd calls her and she flinches hard. Kella raises her head to look to where the voice came from, which was right in front of her. And she opens her eyes. Kella gasps out of pure fear when her eyes meet the mask of the high Elder, his long black cape giving away his identity. Elder Rhd smiles under his mask at her face again. It was the same on from when she was a pup. But in an instant, Kella rips her eyes away from his face and to his chest. She knows not to look into his face with out being talked too. "Is this the female who you chased?" Elder Rhd looks to his son and asks in Yautja.

"Definitely. I recognize the scent of her blood from here." Aja hisses angrily. Something wasn't right with him. He just caught himself staring at the females' breasts and what made him even more furious with himself was that he wanted to keep looking. He wasn't sure what he liked more, the fact that this female seemed to be unafraid of him as he chased her, or that at this very moment, she was naked in front of him.

"Do you intend on standing there all day?" Kella asks out of impatient to die. Elder Rhd immediately begins laughing at her and she smiles sheepishly. A sudden and unknown jerk of Ajas stomach hits him when he sees her smile for the first time. A real smile. Not the evil one she flashed him before. This one was different, this one was nice. Kella finally had the courage to look around the room. At first glance she saw four of them and one of them was the one that was chasing her earlier. But she didn't care because at that moment, she saw Harper looking at her chest. "Get out of my house." She growls. Harper knew she was talking to him, but he didn't care.

"No." Harper almost screams at her. But when he did, all four Yautja hiss at him and fiercely turn there heads to him.

"The female told you to get out of her home. Either you go on your own accord or I throw you out of the window." Elder Rhd hisses. He will never understand the way Oomans treat their females. But that just shows how stupid their males are. Particularly this Harper. Yelling at a female who clearly detested him and yet he was so belligerent to her. But Harper knew not to question the Elder so he and his followers quickly leave the house running.

"Thank you." Kella whispers and lowers her head again.

"Now are you going to tell me why we had to see the female?" Aja ask his father.

"I am curious of your life Kella Matthews." Alright, Aja got his answer and Kella got the shock of her life.

"My life…" She stumbles.

"I find it strange that it has taken so long for my eyes to see you again. What I had given you, I knew that you would be safe from Yautja hands but from Oomans…"

"What you gave me?" Kella blurts before she could stop herself.

"Your mark." Elder Rhd raises his hand to touch her face but Kella instinctively bats it away. All three of the Other Yautja hiss at her but the Elder just laughs.

"I think we know what happens when you extend your hand at me." Kella says in a shaking voice.

"That we do. But the mark on your brow, that is the mark of the Protected." Her mouth drops and her breath catches in her throat. "Didn't you find it odd that an Ooman like you, so strong and worthy of being taken as a trophy, had gone unharmed for all these seasons?"

"Well, I… My father forced me to hide when ever you guys came back here…" Kella couldn't help but start shaking in fear that maybe she did something wrong and what the hell he meant by her being protected?

"And what made you come out now?" Elder Rhd takes one small step closer to Kella but she stands her ground.

"I didn't know you were going to be here. You weren't meant to be back on ground for weeks. But even then I wouldn't have hid any longer. My father past four years ago and I haven't hid since."

"You heart is racing. What are you so afraid of?" Elder Rhd asks out of the blue. Kella didn't really know how to answer that at first.

"I have four Yautja in my bedroom." She says strong and then all four Yautja laugh at her. "I have just been told by one, the one that I gave a scar to, that he gave me a mark to protect me and now he is asking why I am afraid."

"We cannot hunt you Kella Matthews."

"Please, just call me Kella." She bows her head respectively.

"Kella." Elder Rhd responds. "I gave you that mark because the day we fought, some hunters thought you to be worthy and I knew they would wait for you to come of age and then they would hunt you. I couldn't have that. I wouldn't allow such a brave little pup like you die because of a mistake. A mistake that you have repeated." He laughs.

"It was not my intention of crossing that street again." She tries to defend herself.

"Then why were you on it?" Elder Rhd barks.

"The male I was chasing stool goods from my family store. I wouldn't let him get away and I was too preoccupied with my task that I had not seen where I was going." Kella pauses for a moment, she knew she had something else to say to the high Elder but she just couldn't get it out. "Elder…I apologize for being so rude to you that day." Kella lowers her head to bow again and Elder Rhd snorts at her.

"Raise you head Kella." She does so with great difficulty. "I accept your apology. I still wish to speak with you however."

"May I dress first?" Kella pleads. "I'm feeling a breeze." She laughs. Aja was mesmerized by her. Even as she stood there, she was so strong. He could hear her heart beat wildly out of fear and panic. While his beat madly out of something he wouldn't acknowledge.

"If you wish." Elder Rhd nods to her and Kella quickly grabs the fallen bottle of gel, her towel and runs into the bathroom. She gently closes the door and sighs as she rests against it.

"Holy C'jit." She says softly, but those on the other side of the door heard her just fine and quietly laugh.

"Do you hate her that much Aja?" Elder Rhd asks his son in Yautja. But Aja doesn't answer. "I can hear your heart beat out of anger for losing her. It must be tearing you to look at her, knowing you will never have her." His laughs. But again, Aja doesn't answer. While he knew what his father was saying, that he wouldn't be able to have her head. But he was thinking something else. Something he knew he could never have. _Kella…_

After five minutes, the Elder was getting restless and tells Aja to go into the room to get her. And after another five minutes of arguing, Aja walks to the door and carefully opens it. Kella, dressed in a white knee length loincloth and a white top that left her entire back exposed, was standing with her bask to a long mirror. But when Aja came bursting in, she yelps in surprise to see him in her bathroom.

"Why do you take so long?" Aja growls at her. Kella quickly hides the bottle of gel, which she was attempting to use on her back scratches but was having a hard time, behind her back and Aja saw her move. "What are you hiding?" He walks closer to her.

"Nothing…" Kella whispers. The Yautja stood at least eight feet tall and he was terrifying. Aja knew she was lying. He could see the reflection of a bottle behind her back from the mirror and he softly laughs at her.

"Do you really think you are hiding it?" He says and points behind her. Kella slowly looks to see the reflection, then looks back at him and smiles knowing she just got caught. Aja had to smirk at her bashful smile. Kella shows him the gel and he asks what she was doing with it.

"Trying to heal this." Kella turns around and shows her back to him. Well, he was looking at her bottom when she was showing her wounds. "It's kind of hard to get them because of the spot." Aja knew all to well about trying to heal a wound on his back. He has too many to count on him. Before Kella could protest, Aja grabs the open bottle of gel and shoves her against the wall. "What the hell?" She spits. But Aja didn't care what she said. He dips his finger in the blue gel and caringly smears it on each of the four scrapes. And as he was doing so, he couldn't help but look over her back. Her peach skin was glowing from the sun that was given away from the large window. He couldn't help but trace his eyes up and down her spine as it was indented on her body. Every time his rough finger would touch her cut skin, she would moan in pain and arch her back against the offending finger. And every time he heard her, Aja had to shake his head of his thought. But her back, as marked as it was…_She is so beautiful_. "Ouch." Kella seethes as one of Ajas talons hits her wounds roughly. He swiftly took his hand back and turns her around to face him.

"You can do that rest by yourself out there. My father withes to speak with you."

"You father?" Kella asks stunned. "You mean, the Elder?" Aja simply nods to her and leaves the room with her right behind him. When they walk out, the other three had kneeled on the ground and were clicking away.

"I apologize for taking so long. I am healing some wounds."

"I saw them." Elder Rhd laughs. "Aja got you well didn't he?" Kella looks over to Aja, who just sat down, and relishes in the idea of knowing his name. _Aja…_

"Not only him." Kella laughs and sits on her knees as well and starts to spread the gel on her road rashes and hands. The odd group of four Yautja and one Ooman ended sitting in a circle with Kella sitting in between the two she had never seen before. "What is it you would like to speak about Elder?"

"Please call me Elder Rhd. And I don't really know what I wish to speak to you about." Kella tilts her head on confusion and they all laugh at her. "You are the one and only Ooman ever given the mark of Protection. And I wish to know what you have done with your life. You are strong, agile, but what do you do with your abilities?"

"I am the Caretaker of my district." Kella says sternly.

"Why is that?" Elder Rhd barks in uncertainty. "The Ooman Harper is the one who cares for this City." Kella accidentally scoffs at his words and her face shows her anger toward the Ooman. "You do not like him?" He laughs.

"Did you see the way he looked at me? Disgusting. And he is anything but a protector of Acropolis. If I were not here, this District would be covered in prostitutes, drugs and warfare. Why do you think there are so many families in this District and not in any other?" Elder Rhd was speechless for a moment. He didn't think she was doing what she was. But he was impressed. As well as Aja. His heart had, up till now, stayed at its uncontrollable pace. But as he sat down and began to really look her over, his heart slowed to a pace that he knew no one could over hear. He chocked it up to being further away from her. But he knew it was because he could watch her and not seem as though he was stealing a look.

"Are there more of you? More of these caretakers?" Kella softly laughs and shakes her head 'no'.

"One of a kind. My parents trained me to protect myself against the Yautja. They knew that someday I would be hunted. I guess they were wrong." Kella warmly laughs at her memories. "Can I get you anything?" Kella blurts, a sudden urge of being a hostess to four full grown male Yautja showing through.

"What would you be able to offer us?" Bthm laughs.

"I have aged C'ntlip that I was saving for a special occasion. I think this occasion calls for me to open it for all of you." The three hunters look to the Elder almost pleadingly and he nods gratefully at getting his first taste of C'ntlip in the season.

"One question before we go however." The Elder interrupts as they start to stand. "Just how is it that you have come by all these Yautja items?" Kella freezes mid way up off the ground and looks at him like a deer in head lights.

"I think I will need C'ntlip to tell you." She laughs and leads them down the stairs to the society room. The room, white of course, was covered in pillows of all sizes and in the middle was a low table meant for serving. Kella asks them to sit while she gets the drink for them. But in her kitchen, Kella had to lean over the counter so not to fall over. She had Yautja in her house. YAUTJA IN HER HOUSE! How could this have happened? She thought today was going to be a good day. Well, she isn't to sure if that statement will be true or not because today has yet to end.

Kella swiftly grabs the bottle of C'ntlip with its accompanying shot glasses. The small crescent moon shaped glasses were always a favorite of Kellas. They were beautiful and when she was a child, she would place colored water in a bunch of them then rest the glasses on her windowsill to watch the sun cast the colors into her room. But today she was serving Yautja. And she needed some C'ntlip herself so before she left the kitchen with the items on a platter, Kella pours a small glass of orange juice for her to mix with her own. Just as she was about to exit the kitchen Kella stops as breathes deeply before she walks the hallway into the society room.

Kella enters the room, ready to set the platter down but when she looks to the four Yautja, she finds them all without their masks and she stops dead in her track to stare at them. The four stop their current conversation, which was about an incident that occurred that included C'ntlip and a few to many Unbloods, but when they saw Kella enter, and freeze, they all burst out laughing at her.

"Still so wary of our faces, Kella?" Elder Rhd thrills in laugher.

"Well, uhh…" Kella stagers to the table to shakily place the tray down and sit next to Elder Rhd because it was the only open spot. "I think I am improving. Considering the first time I ever saw you I literally fell over." Only the Elder, Aja and Kella laugh because the other two hadn't been there that day.

"I do not understand." Nth'ta says in utter confusion. Before the Elder explained, he introduces the unnamed Hunter to Kella, and she bows her head to say hello.

"When Kella was a pup," Elder Rhd began to talk, but he stops when he sees Kella start to pour the C'ntlip into the glasses. "What are you doing Kella?" He asks firmly, causing Kella to stop instantly and look back to him.

"Serving you drinks." She says warily.

"Females do not serve males." Aja blurts before anyone.

"I think you four have forgotten what planet you are one. And it would be my honor to serve you." She looks appealingly to Elder Rhd who reluctantly nods to allow her to finish. Kella into four of the glasses and begins to give them to each hunter.

"When she was a pup, she ran into me on the entry way and she thought I was going to kill her for being on there. But she didn't even know where she was for a moment, but when she looked up at me, she fell over. Oh, what were your words Kella?" Elder Rhd was finding it amazingly easy to speak with her. Quite unlike that Ooman Harper.

"' You should take my life quick, end my family line just as you started to'. I truly thought I was going to die there." Kella, once finished pouring the amber colored liquid in each glass, hands one to each Yautja. Serving Elder Rhd first of course, Kella made note of their Bloodining mark. A simply horizontal line about two inches long and in the middle was a half circle. It looked almost like a sun setting on a horizon. But as she leans over the table to place Ajas in front of him, he eagerly grabs hold of the glass, with a few fingers of Kellas hand still linked to it. She looks up to him for the first time and his eyes wee staring hard at her. Kella couldn't help but acknowledge the strange electric jolt slowly running down her spine and then back up. Her body felt like Aja was digging into her soul, mercilessly seeing everything she is just by looking at her. So not to seem like he meant to do it, Aja allows her fingers go and Elder Rhd continues talking.

"She then brandished a long knife that was about the size of her arms length at the time and managed to cut me quite well." Even though she was not looking at Aja any longer, Kella still saw his face trough her eyes. He rather striking, three long scars on the right side of his face were very prominent with one of the one his brow and down his cheek but luckily for him, it didn't seem to have hit his eye. She instantly knew it was a Hard Meat that caused him such scars and couldn't help but think he was incredible just from that sight of them. Kella begins to pour a small amount of C'ntlip into her own glass then adds the orange juice.

"What are you doing?" Bthm questions her.

"I am Ooman, and if I have more then one small glass of C'ntlip, I will die of alcohol poisoning." Kella smiles at him.

"Why would you say to the Elder to end your family line like he started to?" Bthm asks again.

"Her grandfather was the Ooman who spat in my face all those seasons ago." Almost instantaneously, the other two Yautja burst laughing at the memory. Kella softly sips her glass while the others down their own. The Elder groans in satisfaction of such a wonderful C'ntlip.

"How old did you say this was Kella?" Elder Rhd asks.

"Well, over my lifetime, over my mothers' lifetime. Ironically it was given to my grandfather, he past it down to his child saying that it should only be opened on a joyous occasion." Kellas eyes suddenly flick to Aja, who was staring at his hand holding the drink but she soon changed her view to the Elder and smiles. "My grandfather didn't think it to be such a nice gift, considering he was not very accepting of the take over, but nonetheless, a friend of his gave him the bottle as congratulations on the new baby, my mother. But I thought that now was the best time to open it."

"Now that you have your drink, perhaps you will tell me the answer to my question." Elder Rhd says sternly.

"Most of the items I have were gifts from others. The healing gel, for example, was from a healer who had accidentally had some delivered to him."

"And the weapons…" Aja softly points out. Kella goes quiet and slowly looks to him again. His golden eyes were so unfeeling to her, they were stark of emotion as he looks at her. But she was so wrong. Aja was trying his hardest not to smile as her eyes feel on him. Her amazing blue eyes were more beautiful than any water, even the Ooman sky would be envious of the color.

"Some were past down to me by my grandfather. He was not a very nice man. He would raid Yautja ships that would come down to the planet during the last years of the take over. He would take anything he wished and then hid them away. He never even told my grandmother of what he was doing. It was only when she died and I cleaned their old home did I find everything."

"And why did you not bring them back to us?" Elder Rhd didn't really mind that she had them because she was doing well with them, but he still had a job to do.

"I found a better use for them." Kella lowers her head in shame for having their weapons.

"I agree with you and that is why I am not going to force you to give them back." Kella snaps her head at Elder Rhd with a giant smile that completely melted Aja. He had to get out of there. What was he thinking? She's Ooman. For Payas sake, she IS Ooman. He shouldn't be entranced by her smile, her stunning eyes, her strange yet beautiful body, her laugh…He needs to get out of there.

"Father," Aja starts in Yautja. "Perhaps we should get back to the hunt." He suggests. Elder Rhd sadly nods to him, knowing that he should and knowing that he was going to leave an excellent C'ntlip unfinished, but he needed to go.

"I am afraid our time has ended Kella, for now. We must leave to finish a hunt." All of them stand from the table and Kella escorts them to the door. She opens the large door, seemingly coated in her blood, for them. Once outside, they turn to her and bow in appreciation for her kindness of serving drinks. Kella was stunned to say the least but she wished to show how she was honored in her deed and bows to them as well.

"Perhaps another time we can finish the bottle. I would hate finish it with any other then who I started it with." Kella smiles warmly at Elder Rhd.

"Another time." He laughs.

"Why are they staring at us?" Nth'ta, unnerved by all the stares he was getting, points out that her neighbors her looking at them through their windows.

"They are already suspicious of me, and now I have had four Yautja in my house. I will bet you a whole bottle of C'ntlip that by the end of this cycle, they will all have moved away." She laughs.

"That only makes me wish to come back even more." Elder Rhd, along with the others, give her one last bow before turning and leaving. Kella slowly closes the door and curses herself for having blood on her wall. But she could clean it later. She had to put the C'ntlip away so it would keep. She swiftly gets back into the society room and starts to clean the glasses, but she notices that Aja didn't drink his at all. But why would he have so roughly grabbed that glass before if he didn't intend of drinking it.

_Aja…_

It's a beautiful name…

_Aja…_

Kella shivers as she recalls how he looked at her so ruthlessly. He must loath her for getting away from him. But why should he care anyways? She is protected by the Elder. She can't be hunted. While normally in this world knowing that you are safe from Yautja hands would be a god send, but not to Kella. She still has things to do that she knew she had to and that they might get her killed. But no matter what the Elder had given her can protect her completely and she should never expect it to be like that. This world, this world is not a place to feel like you are safe because odds are, you either have a Yautja on your back or an Ooman to your front.

One outside, the four Yautja instantly cloak and silently cross to a neighboring building to call the leaders of each group on the Bad Blood hunt. When Elder Rhd was done with each group leader, he signals for Both Nth'ta and Bthm to go into their previous groups to make for the lost hunter. While he and Aja were to go alone.

"Why were you in such a hurry to leave her dwelling Aja? Fearful you might lunge across the table and take her head?" Hi father laughs at him while they still sit on the rooftop.

"Something like that…" Aja trails off. He would have lunged across the table but not to take her head. "I am distressed of the fact we have yet to find the Bad Blood."

"As am I." Elder Rhd hisses. "But I shall go on my own to track him. The group led by Hyol confirms that the male hunted an Ooman male last nightfall. I will go join their group to get information then go out on my own."

"I think I will go on my own as well father. I have a few ideas." Aja thrills. Elder Rhd shakes his sons shoulder before jumping off the rooftop and heading, thinking that his son would do that same.

But he was wrong.

Aja didn't move from his perch on top the roof and he knew he wasn't going to leave it. Even as his mind kept yelling to leave, 'go hunt. You should not be here, she is Ooman, OOMAN!' but he wouldn't listen to it. He wants to watch Kella. He wants to just see her again. Aja was now regretting asking his father to leave her home. Something in him was screaming to go back into the house. To say something like 'I think I may have left my mask in your society room.' But that wouldn't work, he had his mask on, that would just be stupid. He could go back to see how she is healing. He did injure her so it does give him a way in. but then again, he did heal them for her. He touched her skin…Her smooth, silky, flawless skin…

_WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?_

Aja shakes his head hard of his thoughts, his could not and WOULD not allow the sight of Kellas naked leave his mind. But no matter how he wished to go back into her house, he would not. But he could sit and watch her. Just to see her form through the window, or her red figure with one of his sights…

_Kella…_

Once Kella had put everything back to its rightful place and cleaned the bloody wall, she didn't know what else to do. She really didn't feel like going to se this 'White Dragon' guy and she sure as hell didn't feel like going to a club with Mercedes. What would she think about this when she tells her? Mercedes would probably wish to know what they looked like so she could have someone knew to picture when she and her boyfriend mate. She should call her aunt though. But what would she tell her? Because the Yautja did come to her. Elder Rhd came to her and told her of what the sign meant and Aja…

_Aja…_

She didn't know why, but Kella suddenly smiles. He was impressive. Strong. Masculine. But he seemed to detest her. He only ever talked with her or came into contact with her out of need or accident. He only healed her because she was taking so long and he by mistake touched her hand while reaching for his glass. But he didn't drink it. So why was he so instant on getting it? What if he wanted to touch her? What if he meant to grab her fingers like that?

Out of now where, Kellas entire body shivers.

Why would want to? She's Ooman, he would never wish anything more then her skull but now she was questioning that. Aja knew that she cannot be hunted, so why was he so keen on taking the glass so swiftly… Kella just pushes the thoughts away and goes to clean her room. Her bloody cloths were still on her floor. But before she should do anything, she should call her Aunt. Kella calls out for Ken, after she reactivated him, to contact the Shop and sure enough, her Aunt was irate.

"So they just came in and talked to you?" Her Aunts voice seemingly sounding unbelieving.

"I swear to you Aunt Ellen. The Elder just wished to talk to me, he even told me about my sign."

"Just because he says you are protected does not mean you are safe." She points out and Kella sighs heavily.

"I know that. But you should have been here!" Kella plops down onto a long couch and grabs a pillow to hug. "There were four of them. FOUR! But one didn't seem to like me..."

"And you care if a Yautja likes you because?" Kella goes quiet for a second.

"Well, his name is Aja. And he was the one chasing me before. I served drinks to a Yautja that wished to kill me. He was sitting right across from me and I could almost feel the disgust radiate off him."

Outside on the roof Aja, who had used his mask to pick up the sounds in her house, was listening in on her conversation. He knew it was wrong. But her voice…

"So he hates you? So what?"

"I don't think he hates me Aunt Ellen. But I don't know what he thinks of me. And I don't know why I care. Perhaps it is because he is the Elders son."

"I think there is an unwritten law somewhere that says 'Kella must piss off the members of this one family so she dies'." Together the two laugh at her words. Kella did have a tendency to anger groups of people at a time. And it just so happens that right now, that was a group of Yautja.

"I think it is time for me to go Aunt Ellen. I have had a weird day and my pillow is calling to me." Kella laughs. The two were quick to say their goodbyes but Kella didn't go to sleep, she heated up some hot chocolate and grabs her current book and sits down on her big comfy couch to read.

By night fall, Kella had all but finished her book. She only had about twenty pages left and she was taking her time to read it. Sometimes she would force herself to go faster but then she would miss things here and there, so she made herself slow down. Aja didn't mind her that she was so still, the giant windows to her house made it easy for him to look in and he hadn't taken his eyes off her since she sat down. She seemed to be engrossed in the reading material she had. He wondered what it was about that made it so enticing. But what made Ajas mind go wild, was that Kella said she cared what he thought of her. She didn't know why but she did. But she did…

Kella was right in the middle of a sentence when there was a soft sound of something falling. It may have been one of the neighbors cats jumping off the fence into her yard again, but it also could have been someone. What if the Yautja are back? What if Aja is back?

Kella heart starts racing uncontrollably at her thought.

What if it is Aja? What if he is here to kill her? But he wouldn't do that. He couldn't. And besides, a Yautja would never allow themselves to be heard like that. Someone was at her house. And her bet is it was someone from this 'White Dragon'.

She heard it again.

That same thump. Kella now knew for sure that someone was at her house and she just knew it wasn't the paper boy. She jumps up from her couch and dashes into her basement. Aja jerks at her sudden movement and changes his mask to show thermal readings just in time to watch Kella run into the ground. Literally. Her signature just runs into a room that he couldn't see, but the second Kella turns on the light, he saw everything. The room was the entire size of her main floor but as to what was in it, he had no clue. Kella on the other hand began to attach every useful item she could think of. Hanging string, blades, knives, shurikens, strapping on holsters for even more weapons on her legs and arms. But the one thing she didn't forget was her thermal eyes pieces. These were small eyes attachments that would suck onto the skin around her eyes and from them, she would be able to see thermals. She was ready for what ever or who ever was at her house. She climbs the stairs silently, not knowing yet if they were in her house yet.

Aja couldn't think of what she was doing, he pans out to see the whole house and he just about roars in surprise to see four Ooman signatures skulking around her home. But before he did something stupid, Aja stops himself because Kella seemed to already know. Why else would she be so elusive in her own home.

Kella softly tells Ken to turn off the lights, making those outside think she went to sleep already. She creeps through an open window and stars to circle her home. The front was expectably bare of life, but as she turns the corner, two very bright red figures are seen looking in a window.

"Do you think the bitch is asleep?" One of them whispers.

"The lights are off. She must just be getting into bed…" A very disgusting laugh comes from him after his words and Kella was quick to end their thoughts with her favorite shuriken. Instead of keeping with her path, Kella backtracks to the other side of her house, leaving her backyard to last. And sure enough, there was one large male attempting to get into her house by the side door to her kitchen. As she slowly approaches behind him, she can hear him huffing and groaning to himself.

"This bitch had better be worth what the White Dragon says." He grunts.

"Doubt it." Kella laughs. The male turns around fast only to get a blade through his throat before he can scream. His dead and bloodied body slums to her feet and she gingerly walks away to creep around the corner to her back yard. Kella decides to walk around the large buses that fence her yard so she can go around if there is more then one gang member left. As she makes it to a far bushel of tree, Kella pokes her head through to find only one of them, standing alone.

And he was young.

Thirteen. Fourteen at most. But he was clearly not meant to be here. While petit, the kid was built. His muscle mass made up for his lagging height that, to Kella, guesses had yet to finish. This kids balls probably haven't dropped yet. But she could tell that he was scared, his blue eyes were wide in fear and his blonde head was searching this way at that.

_What was she waiting for? _Aja thought. _She took out the other three and now only has one left. But she has gone to the back. I should move to get a better view. _Aja, with all the grace his Yautja form had trained with, skillfully jumps from one roof top to another until he had a clear view of Kella crouching in trees while looking at the male. And then Aja saw why she waited. The male was in his adolescence. His size was a clear indication of that. But what was she going to do with him…

Once the kid turns so his back was to her, Kella charges at him with punches the back of his head with all she had. Instantly knocked out, the blonde falls face first to the grass. Kella swiftly but carefully ties the kids hands together and slings the hanging rope over one of the large wooden beams to her garden tress and lifts him so his toes were barely touching the ground but he was still out cold. Taking her time, Kella does one last sweep of her house and gets Ken to turn on all her lights. Before she heads back to the kid, Kella fills a cup of freezing cold water and walks out only to throw it into his face. Gasping and cringing from both the pain of the cold water and the hit, the kid jerks awake.

"Morning sunshine." Kella laughs. The kid was silent as can be and scowls at her. But that's alright that he was quiet. It won't stay like that for long. To use the peaceful time she had, Kella starts to take off every bit a piece of her armor and weaponry to gently set them on the patio table, allowing the kid to see each piece she had on to her scare him. Once her eyes pieces were off, she turns back and walks right up to his face. "What's your name kid?" His blue eyes squint at her in defiance. "Yautja got you tongue?" Kella sighs with a heavy heart and grasps a very threatening knife from the table. She makes her way back to him and she loves the look of pure fear in his eyes, but she wasn't going to do anything like that to him. Kella swiftly cuts away his leather vest, conveniently with the white dragon on the back, then cuts off his black shirt to reveal an already badly bruised body. "What's your name kid?" She repeats but still gets nothing back. "I can see that you already have been beaten, but I am warning you now, I have ways of making you scream like you have never in your life and I wont leave a mark. What's your name?"

"Aaron." He whispers.

"Now we are getting some where!" Kella says happy and places her knife back down. "Tell me Aaron, what are you doing at my home?" But he was quiet. "Alright, lets' start with something easer. How many are here?"

"F four…" Aaron stutters.

"Well, only one now. I got your friends." She says gravely. "Why are you at my house?"

"We were sent to kill you."

"By…" Aaron lowers his head, ripping his eyes from hers. "Who sent you?" Kella asks as she steps closer to lift his head to hers. But he was still defiant. "Who sent you?" She asks again while at the same time, Kella places a hand just below his right elbow, but stops abruptly when she feels track marks. "Do you do it on your own, or are you forced to stay in the gang to get your fix?"

"They…they make me…" Aaron gets out between shivering breathes.

"Tell me who sent you." Kella asks harder. But Aaron was still silent. Kella sighs and gently starts to push in where her fingers laid and began to put even more force on a pressure point on his arm. Aaron tries to keep the pain away but clinching his teeth and grunting but it wouldn't help. And within seconds, he screams out of agony. "Tell me who sent you. And this can end before it really starts."

"The White Dragon." Aaron screams.

"Well, I know it's the White Dragon, but what's his name?" She puts even more weight into her fingers and Aaron starts to wriggle around to get away but Kella pulls his body close to her with her other arm to keep him steady and to have his eyes inline with her. "What's his name?" She whispers.

"I don't know." Aaron, now crying giant salty tears, screams. Within a second, Kella steps away from him, giving him time to recover.

"I can understand that you do not know you gang leaders name. Where is your gang stationed? What District?"

"Beta." Aaron gasps. "On Edom Road. It's the only warehouse. He's always there."

"You wouldn't lie to me now would you Aaron?" Kella walks closer and the kid tried to back away but he was tied with is hands up in the air and he had no where to go. "Would you Aaron?" Kella walks behind the kid and places her fingers at another point that she knew would cause an insurmountable amount of pain. "Would you Aaron?" She whispers into his ear while putting weight into her fingers. Aaron shrieks in suffering, his cries so loud that she knew it would wake the neighbors. But they are used to it. She would do this every once and awhile to people at her house. They were also accustomed to her screaming as well, but those are sinful screams…

"Alright!" The kid cries out and Kella lightly relieves the pressure but still not taking her hand away from him. "It's the house that's right next to it. He makes us tell people that it's the warehouse so they can be ambushed." Kella releases him completely and Aaron groans in appreciation.

"How long have you been in the gang Aaron?" Kella asks as she walks to be in front of him again.

"A few weeks."

"Why? Why did you join it?"

"My parents kick me out and I had no where else to go. They were druggies and when I asked them not to bring it in to the house, my moms' boyfriend bet me. But you can see what came of it."

"So you went to the White Dragon gang and they got you hocked on what?"

"C'ntlip." Kella heave a great sigh. While the old drugs were still used widely, Oomans found a way to turn C'ntlip into something you can inject and it soon became the biggest and deadliest thing. It can takes months to come off the withdrawals and it really messes everything about a person.

"How much have they got you on?"

"Two Tear Drop." Meaning two large drops from an eye dropper.

"C'jit. Then it's going to take a few months for you to get clean." Aaron's eyes suddenly look to her but she couldn't make if it was fear or excitement. "What?"

"They won't let me. As much as I want to, they won't let me. The White Dragon won't let me."

"You will not have to worry about him for to much longer Aaron. If you told me the truth…" Aaron quickly and agreeably nods his head 'yes'. "Then tonight is the White Dragons last night to breath and your last night to suffer." With her words, Kella right hooks the kid, sending his head backwards and he was out cold. She unties him from her porch and lets him rest on the ground for a moment while she goes inside to call her friends at the local detox centre and her cleanup crew. When those deeds were done, Kella effortlessly slings the young kid over her shoulder and wait for his pick up.

"What do we got here?" Andrew, the man from the detox center, asks as he gets out of his bytte.

"Gang kid. Young. And tonight his gang is going to disappear so he will need a place to cleanse."

"So what's he worth to you?" Andrew asks while grabbing the limp body from Kella.

"Let's say, two hunting sheers?" The only way for some of the kids who she sent to him were able to say was because she would trade their time for her goods. Kella extends her hand, palm up, to wait for Andrew to counter offer.

"Three hunting sheers and a skinning blade." He says and slaps Kella hand lightly. "I just got some new poultry in and don't have a blade to skin them nicely." He smiles.

"Two hunting sheers and a skinning blade." Kella then slaps his hand for her offer. In silence, Andrew nods and shakes her hand to seal the deal.

Just as Andrew was pulling away with Aaron as a new member of his house, Kellas clean up craw pull in front of her house. The bytte they were traveling in was larger then Andrews because of the equipment stored. And of course Keenan, her friend, scolds her for making such a mess. She just shrugs it of and leads his five man team to the back while letting a few stop to clean up the one guy she killed.

"There are two more on the other side," Kella says casually as she starts to put on all of her weapons again.

"You can't keep doing this." Keenan says to her. "I can't even count how many times I have been here or how many bodies I carry out."

"I can't control who comes into my house." Kella snaps. Keenan puts his hands up to tell her he was done disciplining her.

"So who you going after?"

"This White Dragon guy." Keenan gasps. "Don't you dare tell me to be afraid or be careful. This guy left me a message saying I was to bend to his rules. Pauk that! He is going to die tonight." Without another word, Kella turns away from her friend, yells a quick goodbye, and disappear behind a house to get to the White Dragon.

For a moment, Aja sits still on his post. He couldn't even think at this point. He didn't know how to process what he had just witnessed. Kella tortured another Ooman to get information and then she helped him. Buying his way to 'get clean' as she said it. Why would she do that? Why would she care? She did say that she was the Caretaker of the Alpha District, but to actually forfeit her own goods to help another…

_She is so beautiful…_

With out another thought, Aja starts to follow Kella as she runs between house after house. She kept a slow pace, so not to exert herself to soon. So Aja didn't have any trouble with keeping up with her. _Gods she is amazing. How could I have not seen it before? Kella…Kella is absolutely perfect. Despite the fact she is not eight feet tall with a beautiful set of mandibles. She has her rose lips, her peach skin…Her laugh, her smile. Kella…_

Kella soon stops on a long street that she knew the White Dragon was on. She spots the warehouse and the house next to it which clearly had people inside. She could see a large group of over twenty in one room and then groups of three or four around the house. The run down to place was dilapidated, so old that you wouldn't just think no one lived in it, you hoped no one lived in it. But she had to go in and find this White Dragon and then kill all in his gang that would retaliate. Without another thought, Kella sneaks into the house by way of the back door and makes a quick death of two gang members that were standing guard because the back yard was light with giant spot lights. Once inside, which was just as filthy as the outside, Kella begins stalking all of the smaller groups of two or three, quietly ending their lives before they could alarm anyone else. Once she was done with the roaming groups, leaving only the large gathering left, Kella starts for it and sees two large males guarding the door. The White Dragon must be in there. Kella takes a deep breath and charges the males with a shuriken in one hand and a knife in the other. She runs as fast as she could at them and jumps when she was close enough. Before they could do a dam thing, Kella swipes her shuriken across the first ones throat, slicing his head almost clean off. While her other hand jabs her knife right into the others head.

Falling to their knees, then to their faces, the two guards were down and now all she had to do was enter the room. She takes another deep breath and slowly turns knob and dashes in. At first all she can process are muffled gasps and a few screams. Kella looks around to not find any other grown Oomans, but her heart falls when she finds twenty four young Oomans. All cowering in a group, huddled together for safety. Kella double checks for another gang member before closing the door behind her and turning back to the group.

"Why are all of you here?" She whispers but loud enough for them to hear.

"We just joined the White Dragons gang." A female stutters.

"Let me guess, he had you all put on C'ntlip too?" They all nod to her collectively and Kella shakes her had in disgust. She knew what she had to do but pauk, its going to be expensive. "I am going to ask one simple question and if you say yes, I will give you everything you need. Do you want to get out of this gang and get clean?"

"YES!" They all nearly scream.

"Then I want every single one of you to go to the detox centre on Point West Avenue. Come on, get up." She ushers them up. "I want all of you to go and ask for Andrew and tell him the Kella says 'anything he wishes'. You got me?" They all nod to her.

"But we can't afford to go to detox. We can't afford anything. That's why we are hear, we have no where else to go." A larger male kid speaks quietly.

"You do until you get clean." Kella growls. "And I WILL check and see if all of you go there and if any of you don't, I will hunt you down and end your life before you do yourself. You got me?" They all say yes quietly and Kella starts to herd them out the back door.

Aja didn't know what to make of what his thermals were showing him. Kella killed at least fifteen Oomans and then now she is moving even more out. He couldn't understand what was going on, until they started to come out of the house. They were all pups. Every last one of them.

"RUN! REMEMBER MY WORDS!" Kella screams. She was the last out of the house and they were met with about nine large gang members who were clearly coming back from a raid of some store. And there in the middle of the group was a skinny little male, hair colored stark white with white clothing. Once the kids scattered, a few of the gang members tried to get them back but Kella throws her shuriken and takes out the two who went for them.

"So this is the Caretaker Kella." A hollow voice echoes from the White Dragon. Kella, who was being surrounded by the seven remaining males, was ready for anything as she crouches in a fighting position. "I will love seeing you die like this…"

Aja had to hold himself back at seeing Kella being surrounded. He had to keep telling himself that he shouldn't even be here, he shouldn't have been watching her and he shouldn't feel what he feels. But he can't deny where he his, he can't deny what he did and he can't deny what he feels.

"You will be surprised to find me hard to kill." Kella yells as she charges the White Dragon. One of his guards jumps in front of her but she simply rushes him until he was on the ground. Kella quickly stabs him with her knife, right into his heart but before she could do another move, he was hit on the side by some ones foot. Kella tumbles on the ground and only stops when one of his guys hops into her back. He lifts her head by hear hair and leans down to whisper into her ear.

"I'm going to love hearing you scream as I rape you little girl." He pauses to lick Kella ear lobe and she groans in revulsion. "I can't wait until I," He didn't get another word in when he was suddenly impaled with Ajas two wrist blades. He couldn't just sit there any longer, he had to do something and hearing the Ooman male, made him go insane with anger. He lifts the Ooman off Kella, who was instantly on her feet and after the closet guy, and Aja throws the body against a wall. Knowing that he was cloaked, Aja reveals himself and they all, except the one Kella just killed, gasp. One of them suddenly had the balls to attack Aja and he slashes his arm but only enough to make him bleed, not to really injure. And with the same hand, Aja grabs the Oomans neck only to crush it with his strength.

Kella runs at the White Dragon again and is met with his other guard. He slams into her hard and they end up with Kella on top of him with her shuriken slitting his throat gracefully. But she wasn't watching her back and she was punished for it. The White Dragon jumps on her sitting form, brandishing a small knife and stabs Kella in the back behind her right shoulder. Screaming from the sudden sting, she elbows the White Dragon, sending him flying off of her but leaving the knife in her back. Kella was quick to her feet and she starts too slowly stock the White Dragon and he slithers away on his back.

"P...please…please don't kill me…" He stutters.

"To late to ask for favors." Kella pounces on him and starts to punch him face with blow after blow. All the male could do was try and hold her hands away, but it was no use. Kella wouldn't relent until he was dead. Not because he had threatened her but because of what he was doing to children. His face was slowly becoming unrecognizable, blood was oozing from his nose, mouth and even eyes. Kella pauses for a moment, only to lean back and pull out the knife in her back to yield it in front of the White Dragons face. "I am Caretaker Kella, and you are no longer anything but another notch on my armor." She laughs and then without another thought, slowly and agonizingly slots his neck. His blood spurts out of the new gash and onto Kellas hands and body. With one last tug, Kella rips her knife right through him, and the White Dragon falls still and limp in her hands. In one last impertinent move, she kicks his body away from her as she stands straight. She closes her eyes and begins to inhale deep, deliberate breaths to calm herself. But a deafening roar from her side makes Kella whip around in time to see a Yautja.

Aja was exhilarated. One after the other he slaughtered them all. Wrist blades through the gut, a hit to the back to shatter their spine, a hard squeeze with his hand to break a neck. And now, there was only one left. He was large for a male Ooman, well over six feet tall and he was aggressive. Aja roars as he charges, fully extending his blades, he snaps the in coming arm with ease before he stabs his blades into the Oomans gut. The only sounds made from the male now were gurgles from the blood in his throat. Aja swiftly throws the body off his wrist blades and retracts them to look at his kills. He stands straight and nods at the scene.

"Aja…" Kella calls softly and he slowly turns to her to find her staring at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"Kella…"

Authors Note: A special thanks to…

On ff .net: shade, and ben revell

On aff .net: shortestwarrior, Prairiefire (you kind of scared me for a moment there…), Sin, Narranasa, chancelor22, Cara, Li na, angelpred, Tasha, and Bee.

Pronunciations (previous on chapters 1 &2)

Nth'ta **Nigh Tha**

Bthm **Bath Him**

Hyol **He** **Oul**

Edom **Ee** **Dom**


	4. Guidance

The History of Tomorrow

Guidance

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

For a moment, the two didn't say another word. Kella emotionlessly stares at Aja as he stands amongst the dead bodies of the gang. His waist length tresses were swinging, his breathing was deep from the earlier fight and his mask was glistening in the moon light. She had never seen anything or anyone that impressive in all her years. And at the same moment, Aja was thinking the same of her. From head to toe, Kella was covered in blood. Her white garments irreparably stained but Gods…She is so beautiful.

"Even if I ask why you are here, would you tell me?" Kella asks in a stock tone.

"No." Aja barks. He was relieved she asked it like that, he would have had to tell her that he was watching. He is not a liar. Before Kella could stop him, Aja picks up the large male he just killed and starts to precisely cut open his back to take his spine and skull.

"And just what do you think you are doing?" She asks but never moves from her spot.

"Taking my trophy…" He trails off as the skull pops out of the surrounding skin with a sickening 'slurp'.

"And just when did I invite you on this hunt?" Kella asks crossly. He should not have been here and he was not invited on the hunt so he is not allowed to take trophies unless she allows him to. But by the way she said it, Aja knew she wouldn't allow him to and groans in displeasure at not being able to take the males skull. He was just about to get up and drop the head when Kella laughs at him. Ajas entire body shivers at the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and he slowly looks up to her. "I was kidding take as you see fit." She laughs and Aja goes right back to placing his trophy in a mesh bag. He then walks up to the male that had threatened to rape Kella and grabs him by the throat to lift him to his eyes level. And for what seemed like to long to Aja, he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't been there. What if this repulsive male had taken Kella? Hissing in disgust, Aja throws the body to the ground without taking his skull. He saw no need no to confirm to himself that he had killed the male. He didn't do it by the hunt, he did it to save Kella, to keep her safe. He should tell her why he was here, why he had helped her. Aja sighs and turns around to where Kella had been standing…

But she was gone.

Half way between anger and panic, anger for Kella leaving and panic that she left, Aja starts roaming trough his sights until he sees her red form walking down a lone street. He sighs greatly before running after her, leaving the other kills behind. He didn't want them, he wants someone else.

"Kella!" Aja roars from behind her and out of shock, she jumps a little. Kella turns right around and glares at Aja for scaring her.

"What?" She barks.

"You are injured." Aja states matter-of-factly.

"So are you!" Kella spits back and points to his glowing forearm.

"I can handle my wounds."

"And I can't?" Kella raises her brows in anticipation for his answer, but he knew he was screwed either way. He has dealt with a few to many females when they were injured, and he just knows that no matter what he says, he's in trouble.

"I am simply concerned." Kella simply shakes her head in disbelieve and continues walking down to dark street. It seemed that every street in the Beta District was as grimy as this one. The street lights were all broken, the odd stench of mold and everything rank was strong. But she would be back in her district in an hour. She couldn't exactly run because of her wound to her back. But she was headed to the healers so she should be fine for when she gets home. "Kella!" She stops to turn and look at him.

"What Aja, you are taking too much of my time and I need to go to the healers, as well as you."

"I can heal my own wounds but I need to say something."

"Like what?" Kella starts walking to him and Ajas heart starts to beat so fast he was sure it was going to come out of his chest. "Like why you were there? But wait, you said you wouldn't answer me even if I asked so I am not going to ask it now. Or perhaps it's a question? Like, why I was there? Or why I killed them but why would you care? They are nothing but Ooman scum. They deserved to die and I made sure of that to keep homeless children safe. I don't even know why I am even talking to you!" Kella gives him a long grunt then crosses her arms, painfully, and waits for Aja to speak. But it would take a second because even he didn't know what he wished to talk to her about. So for what seemed like an eternity to Aja, he stood there, towering over this female, with no thoughts in his head other then '_she is stunning when she is angry'_.

"Why did you wait?" Aja blurts when he finally remembered that Kella had waited to cut the line when he was chasing her.

"Wait, wait when?" Kella asks confused.

"I was running after you and you used hanging line as a rope. And you were going to cut it, but you waited. Why?"

"You came here just to ask me that?" She stares up into his unfeeling mask.

"No, I was just wondering why you waited. I was going to kill you but you waited until I was going to be safe for my landing. WHY?" Aja accidentally hisses.

"I didn't want your life on my back." Kella almost whispers. "And I didn't want to kill you because of what you did to me."

"What did I do to you?" Aja a little confused, he hadn't done anything to her.

"That day when I was a child, you roared at me so wickedly." Aja takes a small step back from her, he didn't know she recognized him. But she did. "And I wouldn't just allow you to die like that. Can I go now, my back is killing me." Kella growls and Aja gets a little irritated at her attitude.

"I remember that day as well Kella. Do you wish to know what I said when I roared…" Aja starts to walk to her again and Kella begins to back away from him until she hits the wall of a building that lined the streets. Unknowingly, Aja starts to take off his mask, he only realized he was unmasked when he attaches it to his belt. But it was off now. And Kella couldn't take her eyes away from his face. Before she had only a few seconds to see him but now Kella could take all of his face in. His eyes were still no unfeeling, to her at least. Aja was filled with a mix of anger and desire. A desire that he hadn't felt in so many seasons. He was angry with himself for starting his sentence because now he had to finish it. And right at that moment, to see her against the wall as she was, he hadn't wanted a female this bad since he became an Honored hunter and no longer needed to win females. They needed to win him. But he knew what he felt he shouldn't be feeling. But he was. Aja places his hands on either side of her face and leans down so he was eye level with her. "I told my father to kill you." At that very moment, Kellas eyes go so big that Ajas stops breathing. Even in the dim light of the street, her eye color completely entranced him. "But I am… relieved he didn't listen to me." Kella lets go of the breath she didn't even know she was holding and smiles out of relief. And then Aja did the strangest thing. He raises a hand from the wall and gives Kella the middle finger. "What does this mean?" She gasps at the gesture and quickly grabs his giant hand with her miniscule ones to put his finger back down. Ajas eyes snap to where she was touching him and he could have sworn that his heart stopped beating for those few seconds that she was holding him.

"Don't do that." Kella says sternly and lets him go, to Ajas displeasure. "It means Ell-osde' pauk." Aja instantly barks in surprise at the definition and Kella just had to laugh at his reaction. "And I am sorry for what I did." She says sincerely, even giving him a bow of her head. But he wouldn't have any of that and carefully lifts her head by way of her chin with a few of his fingers.

"It is alright." Aja sighs. "But you must get to a healer. I can smell your blood as thick as it is. And I have been smelling to much of it lately."

"This coming from the one to made me bleed as I did." Kella genuinely laughs. Ajas entire body shivers from her sounds, it just made him so… It just made him feel so young. In all his seasons, he had never met a female that could do this to him. Her being Ooman be dammed. He wants her but he knew he can't just grab her and take her. But he knew that he was going to do something stupid so he softly growls at himself and moves away from her to climb up the wall to the top of the roof. He wordlessly jumps over edge, leaving Kella there alone. She was just about to move away from her spot when she hears a soft thrill above her.

"And Kella…" Aja says after he leans over the rim of the building and waits for her to look up at him. "I hold no disgust for you." He quickly dashes away again, disappearing past the edge and then he was gone.

"What the pauk does that mean?" Kella asks out loud. She really had to clue as to why he had said that. She shrugs it off and heads to her healer.

"Must you always come to me late in the night?" Healer Garvin scolds her as he cleans her back wound. "Do you have the weapon that made this?" He asks and Kella silently hands him the dagger she took as a trophy from the now deceased White Dragon. "At least this time it was not long. Less then five inches. But I am going to take it to test if it had been tipped in any poison because as we learned the last time, they are beginning to want you dead…Even more so then they did." A while back, when Kella was just starting to become who she was, an old gang that she had completely disbanded would fight her with C'ntlip laced blades to make her addicted to the stuff. But they didn't know that from a child she had been drinking it and it had made her relatively immune to it. But if she was hit with a longer blade, like the one the White Dragon hit her with, it might just make her. The healer then took a small sample of her blood and told her to wait for the results. And so Kella walks into the waiting room, after nodding to those already there, and sits down silently to think. But for a while, she didn't really think of anything. She knew she had to wash her back lawn of the blood. Keenan would clean her house if it happened inside but he told her to clean her outside herself, it just happened to often. She made a mental note to call Andrew to make sure all the kids got there and she should go there to apologize to Aaron, if he's awake. But soon her thoughts changed to Aja.

At that, Kella smiles out of no where.

What was it about him that made her smile? He seemed so distant to her while he was at her house but at the same time, he had touched her like he did. He looked at her like she was invisible. Like she was nothing to him and then he goes and does something like grab her hand purposely. He even killed a few of the gang members. But why would he even do anything like that? Come to think of it, Kella didn't really know a lot about Aja. How old was he? Because he is the high Elders son so, he might be really old by Ooman years. Had he been to Acropolis before that day so many years ago? And how many times? Does he have family like the high Elder? What did he mean by 'I hold no disgust for you'? Kella hadn't said anything to him that would make him say that. Did she? Did she disrespect him some how? Did she make him feel like she felt that way? But she doesn't feel like he is disgusted by her. She had never said that.

Wait, she did…

"'I could almost feel the disgust radiate off him…'" Kella whispers. A few of the others that were waiting look at her like she's crazy but then again, they all ready thought that so she didn't care. But what she did care about was what Aja had said about something she never said to him. She had said it to her Aunt but how would he have known unless he over heard her? Was he still in the house? No. He had left along with Bthm, Nth'ta and Elder Rhd. He was gone right? From her house yes, but not from _around_ her house. What if he had been listening in on her conversations? What if he had been watching her?

That's how he knew!

Aja had been watching and he followed her to the White Dragons place. That's why he was there. He had been watching, listening to what she was doing since they left. How could she not have seen it? Or him? But why would he be watching her? He can't hunt her. Kella shakes her head as too many questions come at once. But one of those many seemed to keep popping up, _'what if he likes me?'_ Suddenly, Kellas heart starts to beat faster then she ever thought it could. But why? Was she afraid? No. No, she's not afraid. It was…exhilaration? Or was it the idea of him actually showing interest? Could it even be that he is Yautja that is making her heart beat wildly? What if it was everything? What if she wanted him to like her? What if she likes him? '_Me? Having interest in a Yautja?' _Kella screams to herself. Her eyes go wide as she talks to herself, and the elderly lady sitting next to her starts to laugh.

"Who is he?" Her frail voice brakes Kellas thought.

"I beg your pardon?" Kella asks nicely.

"I know that look, that smile. Who is he?" Kella finally turns to the woman and she was the perfect picture of a grandmother. Short salt and pepper curly hair. Her aged skin gracefully showing every laugh line as she smiles.

"Well, I don't really know him. I just met him today." Kella says apprehensively.

"But he makes you smile as you do…" The old woman asks confused.

"Yeah, he does I guess. But he is so… I don't know what to make of his actions. One minute he seems to detest me and the next he worries of my wellbeing. I don't understand anything about him. I don't even know anything about him."

"Perhaps you should do the old 'pigtail' trick." Kella tilts her head in question and the old woman laughs. "When I was young, and a boy liked me, he would pull on my pigtails like he didn't like me. He would act mean and like he hated me but he would have a great interest with me. Perhaps you should wear your hair in pigtails to see what he will do." Together the two laugh and Kella says she will try it.

"But I don't even know if I like him." Kella whispers.

"My mother once told me, that when I am doing the most mundane of tasks, when I am in the middle of a thought and just the image of the man, or the smell, or his voice or even a memory of him makes you stop and smile…You have something in you that wants him." Kella sighs and silently nods to her with a soft smile.

"Kella." Healer Garvin calls her and she stands to hear the usual news that she is fine but 'the next time he will not make it so pleasant for her'. Before she leaves however, Kella walks back to the old woman and sits back next to her.

"What if a part of you is afraid of him?" Kella whispers to her and the old woman gently grabs Kellas hands.

"You have to ask what it is that makes you so afraid. Is it him or what you could be with him? Is it what he's done or what you and him could do? Is it what he has said to you, or is it what he hasn't said to you?" The old woman pauses to kiss Kella on her forehead. "Listen to me, Caretaker Kella, looking back, I have this to regret; that too often when I loved, I did not say so. I looked like you the day I meet the love of my life. I had questions, worries, doubts. But he would come to me with no real reason, he talked to me with no bases on which to start it. He would watch as I walked down a street alone, to be sure of my safety. He would call me out of the blue, just to see if I was ok, to see how I was feeling, to ask how my day was. I will pray that this man you met will be to you, what my Gregory was to me. Now go Caretaker Kella, you must rest to care for our District." They said long goodbyes and Kella leaves the healers with her heart beating stronger then it's ever been.

Was the old woman right?

Does Aja have an interest in her? But she's Ooman… How could he? She needs to know if he watching though. Kella just wants to know, to find out if he is still by her house. So instead of walked right to her home, Kella stealthily goes around the surrounding houses by hers. First looking by any trees or any place she would have used, and then she checked the roofs.

And there he was…

Kella was stationed on a roof top of a house about a block away from her house, but she could clearly see Aja, crouched down and facing her home, on the top of old man Heller's. Kella didn't know why, but she thought that that was the creepiest and yet sweetest thing she had ever seen. She bites her lip as she smiles at the thought of him actually liking her. But he was not going to go unpunished for watching her. Kella wasn't one to allow this, even though she kind of liked what he was doing, she was going to do something that if he did like her, well…he was either going to love it or hate it.

Aja had contemplated going back to the DropShip, where the other hunters would be right now during the Ooman night, unless they wished to hunt Ooman or even continue with the Bad Blood. Aja however decided he would continue with Kella. He ran rather slowly back to his perch, Kella had said she needed to go to the healers to mend her wound so it allowed him to take his time and fix his own injury. It was only a flash wound. He easily cauterized it will gel. Now, when ever he looked to the almost invisible scar, Kella would always pop into his mind. She was absolutely amazing tonight. He wouldn't allow the picture of her standing with blood down her entire Ooman body leave him. The way she stood, even though she had an injury, she stood with such presence, a command over her District, to keep it safe, to keep homeless children safe. But why would Oomans allow their pups to go without a home? Surly they had somewhere to go to, someone to take them in? Kella helped them though. They will be safe in her care.

Aja was ripped from his thoughts when he sees Kella turning the corner to her street. She was still wearing her blood soaked garment but she had a clean bandage on her back for her wound. Her face was emotionless, she was simply walking to her home. Aja finally activates his cloak, he had forgotten to put it on again after he left Kellas side. This female makes him forget the most basic rules of any Yautja. He had lost his train of thought while chasing her and nearly died because of it. He could have fallen and broken something to kill him, or worse, force him to stop hunting. And even now, he was thinking of her so completely that he had forgotten to cloak after he left her. And his mask! He swiftly attaches it back on while inwardly cursing himself for being so daft. But, Aja smiles as he tells himself that she is worthy to make him loose his thought. Within a minute, Kella was at her door and Aja changes his sight to look at her heat signature. For a moment, she lingers at the door, then quickly heads up the stairs.

Kella didn't know what was going on with her. She had stopped at the door to breathe. As she turned the corner to her street, she could feel this sudden jolt in her abdomen, like someone had just punched her but it was a good hit. Even as she rested at the door, Kella knew, she just _knew_ that Aja was watching her and she was excited, nervous, tense. But not just that…

Aroused.

Kellas legs could barely hold her as she climbs the stairs. She had to hold on to the wall to make it up to her room and when she did she collapses on her bed. But she had do exact her revenge. She wouldn't just sleep, she couldn't just sleep knowing that a Yautja was watching her. Knowing that Aja was watching her. She knew what she had to do to properly punish Aja, and so with a happy grunt Kella gets off her bed and goes into her bathroom to change into her sleeping cloths, which she decided on a very tiny pair of white underwear and a short white tank top. She quickly tosses the bloodied cloths into the trash and heads for the door, but before she walks out, Kella does as about face and walks to her mirror. She laughs slightly as she braids her hair in pigtails, tying them with white elastics. Kella stops at the door to make sure she makes this seem as natural as possible. With a straight face, Kella walks to the wall with the large window, which she usually slept with the drapes closed, but for tonight she will do something a little different. Kella lazily opens the long white curtains to reveal herself to the world…

And to Aja.

He watched her go into the other room without any worry, he even watched her come to a wall and move something but because he was still in his thermal sight with him mask he didn't see what Kella wished him to. That is, until he remembered about the white fabric around her room which she must have moved, and he immediately changed back to his normal sight. And when he did, he nearly fell over. Aja had to hold onto the ledge of the building to keep himself from toppling to the ground. She was bare except for her undergarments. And another thing he by no means noticed, which he had never been more thankful for in his entire life, was how large her windows were. He could see her entire room from his vantage point and he would have patted himself on the back for his good fortune if he didn't know he would have fallen down if he did.

Kella whimpers softly as she wonders what Aja is thinking. Wondering if he likes what he sees. Wondering if he feels the same jerking in her stomach, that same burning between her legs…But she had to keep herself calm, she had a job to do and when she sets her mind on a task, she will do it no matter what. Leaving the lights on to her bedroom, Kella leisurely walks back down to the main room, where she had been reading before, and enters after turning on the lights. For a moment, Kella looks for her book she had dropped when she heard the people around her house but she soon finds it on the floor by her couch. But after she grasps it in her hands, and stands tall, Kella pretends to loose her grip of it a lets it fall back down. But this time as she goes for it, Kella turns around and bends at her waist to give Aja a perfect view of her bottom.

Now Aja fell over.

Every single muscle in his body seemed to have gone numb and he fell, with Ajas gratitude to Paya, backwards onto the roof and not forwards to the street. Falling with a held in grunt, Aja quickly gets back up to sit on his feet but as he looks back to her, she was gone from the main floor and back into her room. She enters calmly and lies on top of her covers to continue reading the material she had begun before she was interrupted. She seemed so tranquil on her bed, she looked pure as she was surrounded by white.

But she was anything but tranquil. Kella hadn't read a single word since she got onto her bed. She may have been looking at a word, and she may have been tying with all her might to read it but she couldn't stop thinking about Aja. As she stares onto the page, Ajas stunning face would be there. His three scars across his right side were so handsome. They made him look so tough, so rugged and masculine. Without warning, her whole body quivers at the memory of him touching her. She exhales a trembling breath and closes her eyes, chanting 'get a grip. He's Yautja. Mm…he's Yautja'. Again her whole body shudders.

'_Is she cold?' _Aja thinks. Her body seemed to shake like she was to cold in her room. Perhaps she should get under the covers, to warm up. Settling into his spot, Aja sits on his bottom to wait for her to sleep. He may even stay longer to watch her. He didn't need sleep like she does and wouldn't need it for another two Ooman nights, if that. So for now he was content with watching her read on her giant bed. For a moment, Aja wondered what it would feel like to be in that bed, to be with her in that bed…

Unconsciously, Aja purrs at the thought…

The idea of having his hands on her body. To see her naked form again. To hear her laugh…to hear her moan again. But not in pain, no not in pain.

Kella couldn't take just sitting any longer. She hadn't read a word in who knows how long and she needed to get some sleep. With a sigh, Kella places her book on the top of her head board, which was a thick piece of wood that had many small drawers and such and even a small screen for her clock that could be used as a view screen as well. She told Ken to turn off the lights and with that Kella snuggles under the covers. Imagining the embrace of the sheets was actually a Yautja holding her as she fell asleep. Imagining that it was Aja holding her.

That night, Kella dreamt of him. She couldn't really see a clear image, but she knew it was a 'good' dream. She could feel it in her heart and soul that it was wonderful, despite the fact she couldn't remember it. She just knew that it was sensual, erotic, and magnificent. In the wee hours of the morning, Kella woke from her ecstasy and she could feel just how aroused she was. She was burning from the inside out and it was fantastic! She must have been awake for another hour just thinking about him. She knew now that the old woman was right about stopping what ever she was going just to smile about him. Because she woke from her dreams to think of him. To think of Aja. Over and over she would hear his deep, sultry voice in her head. 'But I am…relieved he didn't listen to me'… Maybe he did like her. One thing was for sure though,

Kella liked him…

When the Ooman sun rose, Aja was still at his perch and was watching intently trough the whole night. She seemed to have been in pain. Perhaps from her back? She was writhing uncontrollably under her covers, on an off she would whimper from an unknown cause. While she had stopped moving in such a way late in the night, it was still worrying Aja. And when the sun rose, allowing him to see her room perfectly, he became even more worried. Aja jumps to his feet when he unmistakably sees blood on her white bed sheets, it was obvious to him that Kellas back was clearly not healed well and she had begun to bleed during the night. He should have been watching more intently and he would have been able to see it. He should have gone to her. To be sure that she was healed.

Before Aja could stop himself, he jumps down from his perch and runs over to her home. With all his strength, Aja propels himself up to the overhanging terrace and lifts himself to walk through the open door to her room. And for the second time, Aja was looking around the white area which a silent laugh. But soon his eyes fell onto the sleeping form of the female who seemed to awaken such need and want in him, Aja slowly stalks to her as she was sleeping to one side more then the other. Aja kneels down to be at eye level with her and right at that moment, Aja had never felt more clam. He never felt so peaceful, tranquil, serene. She had her hair done strangle in two separate rings, but a few stray hairs fell from their hold and onto her face.

Someone was in her room.

Kella could feel that someone was in her room again and her first thought was that some gang members from the now extinct White Dragon gang was there to even the score. But as to how many were in here, she had to idea. But what she did know, what she felt, was that one of them was right by her side, right in her face. She needed to do something, anything. What if this person was going to kill her right then and there and she was simply pretending to sleep. No. She wasn't going to let this happen. But she didn't have any weapons up here. She had put them all back in the armory for the night and had forgotten to keep her usual ones hanging off her headboard. Pauk she is stupid.

Before Aja could react, Kella uses the large white bed sheet to wrap around Ajas sitting figure. She pulls it up and off the bed and expertly shoves it over him like the blanket that it is and once it was on him, Kella kicks him right in the head and Aja flies backwards to his back. If Kella had just stayed for a moment longer, she would have seen the pair of Yautja feet sticking out of the bottom of the sheets. She would have known it was a Yautja, and she would have seen it to be Aja when he quickly tore it off of him. But she didn't. Once she kicked him, Kella rolls off her bed and out of her room. Running so fast that she nearly fell as she dashes down the stairs. Aja wasn't too far behind her, the sheet was no match for his wrist blades. He was on his feet in a second, chasing Kella both on instinct and to make sure she was ok. He rushes out of her room and down the stares only to see Kella opening a hidden door way and go inside. To save time, Aja simply jumps over the railing of the stairs and lands in front of the now clear door way. Cautiously, Aja opens the door wider only to see a few metal steps that turned to the right after about four or five steps. As his first foot fell to follow her, the metal step groans under his weight but still held him well. He turns the corner to see even more stairs but at the base was an open wood door. Now going faster, Aja bursts trough the door, not knowing what was on the other side.

But he was pleasantly surprised.

Kella ran as fast as she could to the far end of the room where she had all of her long blades. But just as she reached the wall, she heard the door open behind her. Her heart began to beat in fear as her back was turned to her intruder so, after grabbing two long knives, Kella twists around to see none other then Aja. But he was just standing there, head turned to the right, staring at her prized weapons behind glass. Kella relaxes a little, but still unsure of what was going on.

Aja on the other hand didn't care that Kella was standing there with weapons. The first thing he saw as he walked into Kella now apparent weapons room, was an entire wall covered with a sheet of glass and behind that were Ooman weapons, some he had seen and some he had never seen before. Turning full onto the display, he walks a little closer until one of his hands was resting against the glass as he gawks at the arsenal.

"Now I am going to ask, why are you here?" Kella, sounding a little angry, walks closer to Aja but he doesn't answer. "Aja?" Kella says with even more annoyance in her words. But still, the Yautja does not answer. "Do I need to make you bleed for you to talk to me, Yautja?" She practically screams. Only after being called 'Yautja' did Aja turn to her.

"What's that?" Aja asks while pointing to an old Ooman metal weapon that hung from the wall that he was too familiar with.

"I asked you first, why are you here?" Kella walks closer to Aja, until she was right beside him. Seemingly forgetting that he had been watching her or of her punishment for it.

"I will answer when you tell me about that weapon." Aja looks down to her and for the second time in his life, his eyes go wide in surprise under his mask at her almost naked form. Groaning in anger, Kella walks back to the door that Aja had just come trough because beside it lay a small panel on the wall. With a quick flip of a switch, the long glass wall begins to pull away, giving Aja access to the weapon in question. Slowly, Aja creeps up to it, trying to keep down memories of being impaled with the metal projectiles that came from this weapon. It had been so many seasons ago that he came to this planet for a hunt with a few fellow Young Bloods. He came down with them like any other time, it was a smooth hunt until the jungle setting they were hunting in became the seen to some unknown Ooman war. Males dressed in clothing to match the jungles environment began to kill other Oomans with the same weapon before him. And instantly all the attending hunters saw the strong Oomans as an opportunity. Within five minutes, all but one of the Oomans was dead from the onslaught of the jungle wearing males. There were plenty of the assulting males to go around but one had Ajas eye. Large, tall and massive. But seemingly light on his feet. Perfect pray. Before the Ooman sun went down, the other hunters were pleased with their trophies, but Aja had yet to even engage with the one he clamed. For the whole Ooman night, Aja staked the male. But what Aja didn't know, was that the Ooman was on to him. He knew that Aja was hunting him. So Aja, both literally and figuratively, didn't know what hit him.

Suddenly, the five circular wounds on his chest began to itch at his memory. But after it was all said and done, Aja came out with a prized skull and wonderful a story to tell. But it was this weapon, this Ooman weapon that had nearly cost him his life. Even after he killed the Ooman male, and had gone to the DropShip, the metal fragments were still in him and a few still remain to this day. But he had no idea such an odd weapon could cause such damage to his body. While on the outside, five small holes were present. On the inside, they had wound his internal organs, muscle, bone, everything. But he survived.

"This is a Barrett M107 Rifle." Kella answers while squeezing in between Aja and the wall. She takes one of her ancient Ooman guns from its place to properly show it to Aja. "Also known as an M82, .50 caliber ammunition, range of 1,500 meters, effective against many types of targets, including enemy personnel, vehicles and parked aircraft, 10X telescopic sight and bipod and a 10-round semi-automatic action lets the shooter lock in on a target through multiple trigger pulls." Aja had no idea of what she just said, but was interested none the less. Kella expertly takes out the magazine, the part of the gun that holds all the bullets, and shows them to Aja. "It shoots out there metal things called bullets into someone."

"I know." Aja hisses. "I still have a few of them in me." Kella slowly looks into Ajas mask, understanding why he wished to know about it.

"It was used in the 21st century. Before Yautja rule. But every now and then you will find someone using it. I acquired it by way of a hired killer, an assassin, who tired to kill me. You, dear Aja, are not the only one to be hit by one of these." Kella points to a recognizable scar on her thigh. "He missed." Kella laughs. Aja was strangely quiet during her tirade. While his memories of that day made him angry, the moment Kella began to talk, he was lost. He was hanging on every word she was saying, regardless of knowing what she said. But he definitely recognized her scar on her leg. It was the same as his and her skin carried it well, like his. "Now are you going to tell me why you are in my house?" Kella asks after placing the gun back to its place.

"I came to check on you." Aja half told the truth. "You were injured and now I can see you were healed improperly." He points to her back and Kella growls to herself as she sees her back covered in her own blood.

"My stitches must have opened during the night." Instantly Kella freezes at her recollection of the previous nights dream. While she couldn't piece it all together, she remembers that it was a 'good' dream and that she even woke in the middle of the night just to think of him. 'Came to check on her', he was watching her!

"Do you need help to mend it?" Aja asks before he can stop himself.

"No thank you. But you can get out of my house." Aja was a little insulted at her tone of voice but he would listen to her. Slowly, Aja began to walk away and Kella was right behind him to lead him to the door. "Next time, just knock on the door or wake me, or roar, just something, and then ask to come in, alright?" She says as they get to the door. Within an instant, Aja cloaks but does not leave when Kella opens the door. "What now?" She asks a little embarrassed about how she acted the night before and knowing what she had done to him.

"You are unlike any female I have ever met. That room is like nothing I have ever seen. And you are unlike any Ooman, ever." Kella, not knowing what to think, just stands idly by the door with her mouth open. Aja smirks under his mask at her bewilderment, he was just about to leave when his eyes caught sight of her hair again. Oomans have such odd traditions. They never stick with a style. Without warning, Aja casually closes the distance between him and Kella and the next thing she knew, one of her long braids were being picked up by an invisible hand. "Oomans have such strange ways to bind their hair." Aja says softly. But still, Kella was silent in her awestruck trance. She was staring up into the blur of air when Aja unexpectedly tugs on the braid he was holding. Her head barely moved at the gentle gesture but she felt it.

With out another word, Aja was gone and Kella impulsively closes the door behind him. It took a second, but Kella gasps as she realizes,

'_He _pulled my pigtail…'

Authors Note: I know I had said that the story was going to get steamy by chapter four, which is this one, I found myself leaving it unfinished for days and I know when that happens, I won't write any more because inside I thought the chapter was done at that point. So here it is. But I promise you that you will not be disappointed in chapter five.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell, swift hunter, shade, and Zero.

On aff .net: Kehlan, Prairiefire, Cara, angelpred, chancelor22, shortestwarrior, Bee, aquamum, Muse of Scrolls and scars lady13


	5. Standin

The History of Tomorrow

Stand-in

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

All day Kella couldn't stop smiling. The moment Aja had left she started to jump round her house like a giddy school girl. She could feel that he had truly left however. She just couldn't 'feel' him watching her. But something was in her that made her feel so happy. It wasn't the usual 'butterflies' that made her stomach bounce, it was more like bloody Hard Meats that were twisting and turning her insides. Making her desire into a need and want that Yautja. For her Aja. Just the thought of him would make her ache. Her chest would tighten so harshly that she thought she wouldn't be able to breathe again. But Kella was glad that the people she met throughout the day did not notice a clear and present change in her. She knew that there was a bounce in her step as she walked around on her normal day routine. She would simply walk in the region of her district to visit a few family friends and even a few shops to see how things were going. For she had a job to do. And no male, Yautja or Ooman, was going to stop her duties.

By mid day Kella was at the detox centre and was met with a massive yet understandable request for a new plow for his garden because Andrew, the man who was in charge of the detox centre that Kella sent the kids too, decided it to be a welcome payment for the twenty-four new kids. What shocked Kella, which was rather horrific as well, was that the kids were not going through withdrawals already. That meant they had either been forced to do another shot of C'ntlip just before she got to them or that they were on so much that they still hadn't come down from the high. But they were all conscience, all wide awake, all afraid. In the group of twenty-five kids was Aaron and Kella was fast in apologizing for what she did to him but he told her it was the best thing to happen to him. There was such appreciation held in his blue eyes but Kella only smiled and nodded to him then quickly left. She had two things to do that day before leaving to the shop out in the country where the metal works sold in her shop were made. One was to go to the preschool where the many children were. She had promised them yesterday that she would come see them but then she kind of got side tracked.

But before that she would go to pray.

Almost all religion died after the take over. So many people abandoned their beliefs and religions with the knowledge that the Ooman species was created and so had no god. The Oomans were created by the hands of another people. As an experiment and when that information came out, the world went into a tail spin. Ironically however, the Yautja aided them in their time of need with their own Gods. But never did they force it, never did they require them to believe it as well. But the Yautja told the Oomans that if their God Paya did not wish them to be created, they would not have been. If Paya hadn't willed and allowed the creators to begin their experiment, they would not exist. While the old ways are still practiced, most of the world believes in Paya and the others. 'The Story of Creation' was something every Ooman knew when everything died down, when the take over ended and the world fell into peace. The story was one that made Kella both laugh, cry, fill with anger and rage, with sorrow and misery but also with happiness and contentment. The story teaches any and all the most basic of law of life.

Survival is key.

Kella was one who took to the teachings of Paya religiously. The first time she read it, which was not the last time as it usually was for some, she would forever pray to Paya whenever possible and with the little time she had now, Kella planned to go to Payas place of worship. The name for this place is called 'Payas Leitjin-de Hma'mi-de', which in Ooman means Remember God's Practice. The outside of the building is pitch black while the inside was pearl white. The outside is enveloped with pictures of fighting Yautja all from 'The Story of Creation'. But on the front of the great building were two life sized, well Yautja life sized, statues of Paya and Cetanu.

The true creators of all.

"Kella, it is good to see you." The celebrant, or priest, Jacob welcomes Kella as she wordlessly enters the giant room. They quietly nod in greeting and Kella gives him a small kiss on his cheek.

"It is good to see you as well Jacob. How have you been?" Kella asks as the two starts to walk into the main chamber. There were no seats to sit on, you were meant to kneel and pray silently in front of a large effigy of Paya. Her skin, her Awu'asa, her weapons were all pearl white, her scared color. Her face, always masked, had no true shape to it, it only gave the on looker the slight impression that it had eye pieces. But even if someone had the gall to look at it, they would only look for a second.

"I have been well. My wife and I have had our second child. His name is Tu'Jah."

"A Yautja name?" Kella says in surprise. The two stop just as they get to Kellas favorite spot.

"I liked it as well as my wife. And there are more and more Oomans being named with Yautja names." Jacob smiles.

"Well I like it. And I am sure the Yautja would be honored to know that Oomans hold such respect for them that they are now naming their children after them." Kella and Jacob give each other one last nod before he leaves and Kella kneels down. At first she didn't know what to speak of, there was so much she didn't know where to start. But she soon found her muse.

'_Why did you bring him to me? Why did you allow him to come into my life, knowing that I would begin to have a want for him, if not a need? What could come of my feelings but sorrow and anguish? We cannot be together, even if Aja does feel the same. It is not written but there is a stigma to all 'Ooman fuckers', it is dishonorable to mate with a lower species, a pray species. For that is all I am. That is all you created me to be. You gave me life and now I fear the life given must have Aja in it. I know that what I feel is not purely lust. You and I both know of how the need for a male can over come us. How the insatiable desire for his affection, to feel his hands on you, to understand how and why you heart and mind stops at the thought of him. But I know nothing of him as you did with Cetanu. I don't know of his age, I don't know of his status. I know nothing of him at all. But somehow I can feel and I know that this pain in my chest is a yearning for that Yautja. For my Aja. I do not care of what I don't know, only of what I do know and that is that he came to me twice with no true reason. He worries of me and I have never had that. _

_I worry, Great Warrior Paya, I worry that I may do something that will cause this other gift given to me by Elder Rhd to be taken from me if I should ever act on my desires. I fear that Aja may find me repulsive as an Ooman, not worth of a second look. But I suppose these feelings I have are law for when a female first finds a male she sees as attractive. As worthy. And I do find him more then handsome. Those scars on his face are something though, huh? His sheer size and power I find to be completely and entirely arousing but not just that, also admirable and respectable. I do not care of how he acted that day so many seasons ago, he did not know me and I did not know him. And might I say you have a twisted sense on humor bringing him to me. But thank you. For what it's worth, for what will and will not come of it, thank you Paya. _

_I wonder as well though. Of what could come of these feelings. I know you will not answer me when I ask if he and I are meant to be. Or if this is just that primal instinct to mate with whom ever we find worthy. And I know you will not answer me if I ask what will come of us if we are meant to be. I know it is selfish of me to ask this, but if we come together only to be ripped apart, I ask that we are never to come together. I do not want to feel, dare I say, love with him, for him, to only have it ripped from me. But if you have seen it, if you have planned it to be that Aja and myself are to be and forever be then I beg you to help me. Help me understand these feelings, help me see the way. I beg of you Paya. I beg of you. I plead for guidance, for direction, for help. For what I feel cannot be it when it comes to Aja and I. I long for more then just feelings. I want him Paya. _

_I feel so selfish at this moment, please forgive me. _

_I feel as though I have dishonored myself in asking for anything more then what you have given me. Not only my life but now Aja. I respectively give myself to you, to do as you planned to. To do with my life as you designed.'_

Kella bows low and slowly rises to her feet. Jacob was waiting for her at the back of the room and commented that she had taken longer then usual and asked if there was anything he could help with but Kella graciously declined, saying she only had a long night and took a few moments to figure out what she wished to say. After quick goodbyes, Kella walks out of the place of worship only to shiver as the air seemed to cool off as the day wore on. While it was fall, just the beginning of fall, it felt as thought it was almost winter time. She inwardly curses herself for wearing only a t-shirt and a small loincloth today, it just didn't give her the right warmth right then.

Kella quickens her pace to the preschool because they were soon going to be let out and she wished to play with them before then. As much as she wished to have children, she could never hold onto a mate long enough for that to happen. Marriage or becoming lifemates wasn't that important. Well, they are but she truly wished for a child. But until she finds a male that is worthy to be the father of her child, she would use the children of her district to fill her desire. Once in eye sight of the large school, Kella smiles to herself at how large the building is. With all the families and such that live in the Alpha district, the schools had to be larger, the preschools as well, all to accommodate the number of children.

Stealthy, Kella sneaks into the school and into the preschool portion which was in the back. She wants to surprise them with her appearance but didn't know how to do it, that is until she secretly went into the nursery teachers room to find Mrs. Shell at the front of the class, facing Kella, with a book in hand reading 'Little Red Riding Hood' to the large class of about twenty kids. They all had their back to her as Kella walks into the room and then sits at the back, just so the others couldn't see her.

"There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled down over her face giving her a strange appearance. '_Oh, Grandmother, what big ears you have_!'" Mrs. Shell continues with a cute voice for Red Ridding Hood.

"**'The better to hear you with**.'" She says in a harsh, grave tone.

"'_Oh, Grandmother, what big hands you have_!'"

"'**The better to grab you with**.'"

"_'Grandmother, what a terribly __big mouth__ you have_!'"

"The better to eat you with!" Kella says in an almost roar sounding shout and more then a few of the kids scream in fright at the sudden sound but not a second later, they all turned to see Kella smile and they pounce on her in one giant pile! "I GIVE UP! I GIVE UP! H'chak! H'chak! Mercy!" Kella pleads and pretends to have been taken over by the multitude of children. But they didn't relent and continued their grasp on her, and so in desperation, Kella stands with all her strength to have a few of them hanging off of her. "Okay, okay. Everyone off!" She says nicely and they all unlatch from her to stand before her.

"You said you would be here yesterday!" Someone yells, getting a ton of 'yeah's from the statement.

"I got in trouble." Kella says in a warning tone, telling them not to press it. "But I am here now! And I know that you guys have to,"

"Have a nap!" Mrs. Shell intervenes. "It is time for them to sleep and then you guys can play."

"Aw, do we have too?" A child asks in a sad tone.

"I promise that when you guys wake I will be here to play, but you HAVE to go have a nap!" Kella tells them and within ten minutes, all the children were sound asleep on soft mats.

"They are always so happy when you come by." Mrs. Shell whispers to Kella as the two are standing at the front of the room, looking at all the sleeping children.

"I am always happy when I come here." Kella smiles. "So how are you Jill, I haven't seen you around lately." She asks, using Mrs. Shell's first name. They were in school together and knew one another since they were out of diapers and into loincloths.

"I have been home a lot. My husband is worried because the Yautja came unexpectedly and has been so anxious lately."

"Why would he be? He has never been before." Kella eyes her short brunette friend with great suspicion, her husband Mike was never so protective of her but why all the sudden is he so protective?

"He wants to keep me inside nowadays. Keep me safe." Jill smiles, knowing that her old friend knew something was up but didn't know what. "Maybe it's because my parents are coming in from Kina city." She shrugs mockingly and then Kella suddenly gasps as she figures it out.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Kella yells in a whisper, almost loud enough to wake then all but soft enough not to.

"Only seven weeks." Jill says nonchalantly. Kella shakes her head in disbelief then gently grabs her friends by the shoulders, forcing her to look at her right in the face.

"Jill, you are having a baby! A BABY! And all you can say is 'only seven weeks'? WOMAN! YOU ARE HAVING A BABY!" Kella lightly shakes her to get her point across. And then slowly but surly, a smile creeps to Jill's face.

"I am seven weeks pregnant!" Jill squeals and they pull each other in for a warm hug. But their embrace was cut short when a familiar cry begins.

"I'll get her." Kella whispers and walks around all the laying forms of children to Tiffany. Her short, curly blond hair was messy from tossing and turning, even her little pink dress was twisted around her uncomfortably. "Hey sweetie." Kella coos the child as she effortlessly picks Tiffany up, rearranging her twisted dress, and carries her into an adjoining room so they do not wake the others.

"He keeps running after me." Tiffany cries into Kellas neck. Kella then sits down on the ground, her back against a wall, and begins to rub the child's back to calm her.

"Did you turn to him and say what I told you too?" Kella asks softly.

"Yes, but he still ran at me then I woke up." She cries and wipes her eyes of their tears. "They are so scary."

"Who? The Yautja?" Kella asks softly and gets only a nod 'yes' from the child. "Can I tell you a secret?" She leans into Tiffany who began to plead for Kella to tell her. "I met a Yautja, FOUR Yautja actually, yesterday."

"YOU DID?!" Tiffany yelps in surprise.

"I did!" Kella shifts the child until she was comfortably sitting on her lap. "And I will tell you, I too find them scary. But then…He talked to me. And he wasn't so scary."

"He talked to you?" Tiffany, who was calming down rapidly, says in shock.

"He did. And he was very nice. He wouldn't hurt me Tiffany and he would never hurt you."

"Why not?"

"For one thing you are female. And for another, he is very kind to young females. He was nice to me many, many years ago, but then I didn't know him." Kella pauses to use a finger to take of the last tear from Tiffany's eyes. "And I am no longer afraid of them. Because they wouldn't chase you and they wouldn't case me."

"They are icky though…" Tiffany trails off.

"Icky?" Kellas face twists in confusion. "Why are they icky?"

"Their faces are gross." Tiffany declares.

"They're not so bad." Kella smiles to herself and then smiles even larger as her mind finds the image of Ajas handsome face. "But it's only because you are not used to their faces that you think they look funny."

"Can I meet your Yautja, so that I won't think them funny?" Tiffany's dark blue eyes dig into Kella, filled with the last bits of her tears and so large in wonder.

"I don't know sweetie. Maybe when you are older you can meet your own Yautja, and get used to their faces." Kella increases the force and speed as she rubs the girls back and within seconds' Tiffany rests her head on Kella chest and falls back asleep. Sighing heavily as she stands, Kella walks back into the main room to place the child back into her bed.

"How am I having a child before you?" Jill asks quietly when Kella gets back to her side.

"I haven't found my 'Gregory'." She answers with a heavy heart.

"What?"

"Never mind." Kella laughs at her inside joke.

About a half hour later, the whole group of children were up and awake and after they put away their sleeping mats they played 'Paya says'. The game, exactly like 'Simon says', was the one game that the whole class thought would be fun but said only when Kella got them ALL to go out at once was she allow to leave. She was quick in getting them all out at once however. She told them 'Paya says to roar like a Yautja', and they did. And then she said 'roar again!' and they did! But she didn't say 'Paya says' and so got them ALL out at once. Although, Kella didn't leave that quickly. She stayed to share cookies and milk with them. It was getting late in the day though and Kella needed to get to the shop to borrow her Uncle Shane's bytte. In truth her 'Uncle Shane' was actually her cousin. He was her fathers' brothers' son. But they didn't care. Jill was kind enough to offer Kella her jacket but she declined because Jill would need it to get home…And it was bright pink. Kella left just as the school bell rang and as she walked past the growing crowd, most of them stopped to sneer, ogle or yell. But when one person started, Kella faked a charge and the kid ran away. She and the others began to laugh at the scene, a few of the older kids she knew already and said a quick hi to them as she started to the shop on the main street in the Alpha District.

"KELLA!" Uncle Shane yells as she walks into the shop.

"Yeah…" She answers indifferently. "What's wrong?"

"Don't play coy with me little lady!" Uncle Shane scolds as he drags his old and weathered body to her. If only one word could be used to describe her uncle, it would be gray. In his early twenties his hair went gray, making him look a lot older then what he really was. But his whole disposition was gray as well. He wasn't boring, by no means boring. But he was always laid back, calm, cool, collected. It was only on rare occasions did his jolly self get angry. "I want to know exactly what is going on! You dear Aunt Ellen is no good at not telling me things!"

"I told you exactly what she told me!" The small blond woman yells from the back room.

"So what you told her was vague, disjointed and inaccurate?" Uncle Shane cleverly jests about his wife. But after Kella told him everything, her Uncle was more baffled then angry any longer.

"But right now I need to go get my coat from the closet and you need to give me the keys to your bytte…" Kella opens her hands motioning for her Uncle to relinquish the keys and he does so reluctantly.

"Please be careful." Her Uncle pleads as Kella walks to the back room to get her waist long white jacket. "The last time you took the bytte to the shop it didn't come back!"

"That was an accident!" Kella turns on her heal just as she gets to the door to leave. "How was I supposed to know it was going to down pour that day? And besides, you needed a new bytte, that one was a piece of c'jit."

"Watch your tongue!" Aunt Ellen yells from the back.

"Sorry!" Kella answers. "I have to go!" With that she left in a hurry to run to the back of the shop and there was a beautiful sight to her eyes. The bytte was about the size of an old Ooman car that seated two people comfortably. The outside however looked nothing like a car. The shape of the bytte was like that of an arrow head. It was aerodynamic and beautiful! The top opened like that to a plane and Kella hoped on top then plopped herself into the drivers seat. Instantly the top fell down and the bytte turned on. Bright red dials light up on the dash board and the two joy stick like controls fall forwards.

While it usually took about an hour to get to the shop that was in the country, it only took Kella about half an hour. There were 'roads' for the traveling to go on but the bytte flew so like hell was Kella going to stay on the 'road'. The speed helped too. The shop was located next to a small lake and surrounded by a large forest of trees that were hundreds of years old. The regular workers that made the metal works lived either in the shop or in a cottage on the grounds that her family owned. All the men, which was about fifty guys in all, were experts at their craft. Some were weapons makers, some armor, some made specialty items and Kella would have to get them to make a plow for her out of her own stash of scrap metal. After arriving and saying fast hellos to whom ever was there, Kella told the main builder who was in that day to make the plow and he said that it should be done within a few hours because the staff was all here, for his division at least, and so work would go quick. Kella had planned on going home again and coming back tomorrow or when ever it was done, but then with that news she decided to take one of the many horse used to pull metal around the shop and take it out to her spot on the lake.

"Hello Alban." Kella walks to a stall where her favorite horse was resting. Alban, which is the old Ooman language of Polish for white, was of course white. All the working horses at the shop were Clydesdales and Alban was one of the largest and friendliest. "Want to go for a ride today?" She asks as she goes into the stall to get him ready and Alban was fast in taking off the blanket that was on his back to ready himself to go out. However, when Kella accidentally took to long in getting all the needed equipment for him, Alban nudged her in the back with his nose and snorts at her to hurry. "Alright, alright!" Kella laughs. Once Alban was expertly fashioned by Kella, who spent many years learning how to properly outfit a horse, they were off. But before they were to leave, Kella took a few moments, to Albans displeasure, to put a few things into a bag like two blankets, one for her and one for Alban. Also a few small things to eat and even a hand held COM just in case someone needed to contact her.

About ten minutes later, Kella rode her horse almost all the way around the large lake and up to one of the oldest frees in the forest. Sliding off the saddle, she ties Alban to the tree but giving him enough slack so he could pick at the surrounding grass. After she took off his saddle and such to make him more comfortable, Kella grabs the small pack with her blanket, after giving one to her horse, and begins to climb the large tree, using the small indents on the wood to help her climb. This was her place to just be. Because when she was up here, nothing was wrong. Everything was just perfect. There were no creators or hunters. There were no other Oomans. Just the trees. Just the wind. Just a sound here and there of the animals that call this forest home. Heaving herself up onto a large limb of the tree, Kella finds her spot a little messy but still just as she left it. When she found this tree, she actually chose it for two reasons. One was because of this large limb that was as wide as a twin bed so she is able to sit or lay on it as she wished. She had even used a scraper and made it so the surface was flat instead of round. And for another thing, because of the large hills and roaming mounds this spot on the tree, as high as it is, was the perfect place to view the sun set. And because it was early fall, it set right in front of her beautifully. But Kella wouldn't be staying long enough to see it that night. She was only here to waste time until the plow was done. After nestling in with her blanket, Kella takes out an orange and begins to peal it, throwing the peal down for Alban to eat.

"I wonder where you are dear Aja…" Kella whispers and takes a bite of her fruit. She couldn't get him out of her thoughts. And she didn't want him to go out of her thoughts. Kella shifts in her spot so that she was lying on her back with her gaze up among the three limbs above her. The leaves were half gone but the ones that remained were beautiful shades of brown, yellow and red. Throwing the remaining orange to Alban, Kella sighs as her thoughts keep going back to Aja. Wondering just what was under all that armor. Thinking about what kind of body he had, what kind of muscle he had, what kind of...

Kella curses silently as the COM beeps suddenly, stealing her from her thoughts. She sits up and rummages in her pack to find the small circle shaped device.

"Yeah." Kella say almost angrily.

"YEAH?" Kellas best friend Mercedes' voice comes through over the hand held COM. "THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY TO ME? YEAH?"

"Oh… Hi." Kella says a little scared. Mercedes is not a female to be around when she is mad, or horny, or hungry…Or any time for that matter.

"That's better. Now where have you been?" Her friends' voice goes sweet. But Kella didn't answer at first. She didn't want to tell Mercedes about the Yautja or Aja yet. She didn't know why but she just didn't. But Kella was sure of one thing, she needed to get out of the house and do something!

"I had to take care of this guy called the White Dragon." She half told the truth.

"THAT WAS YOU?" Mercedes yells. Kella reluctantly says that it was indeed her. "Holy c'jit Kella, that was in the papers this morning, did you actually kill all those guys and take ones skull? Cause that's just weird if you did sweetie. I think you are getting too into the whole Yautja life. Maybe you should just NOT take peoples skulls after you kill them, I think you are getting WAY too into the whole Yautja life." She repeats.

"Wait, you think I am way into the Yautja? This is coming from the 'one' Ooman that I know who wants to mate with them!" '_Besides myself_', Kella thinks after scolding her friend.

"Alright you got me there."

"Look, what are you doing tonight?" Kella asks quickly, making sure she didn't have to answer Mercedes' earlier question.

"Umm, nothing much. Why what's up?"

"I want to go out." Kella says rather childishly.

"Oh NOW you want to huh? What about the other night when you said you would be at Blade but you didn't show up huh?"

"I misjudgment on my part, but what about tonight huh? I just need to,"

"Get laid?" Mercedes blurts and the two laugh. They had been friends long enough to know what the other needs or wants, and Kella hoped that her best friend wouldn't figure out that she too wanted a Yautja.

Meanwhile…

Aja had contemplated watching Kella again but decided on going back to the DropShip to see how the hunt for the Bad Blood was progressing. But as he entered the cloaked ship and after he cleansed, Aja went to the only society room. He was not met with any talk of the Bad Blood, but of many conversations about the happenings with a certain female who was on the entry way. While most discussions were about how she had eluded them, one was about Kella herself as those who were in the group were Nth'ta and Bthm.

"You say she served you?" A male asks as they and a few others were still baffled at the story Bthm was telling.

"I am being pure! The female served us a drink of C'ntlip. Tell them Aja!" Bthm trills. He then motions for Aja to sit within the circle of pillows and relaxing Yautja.

"Tell them what?" Aja ask as he welcomes the invitation and rests on a pillow.

"Tell them of Kella." Nth'ta laughs.

"It has a name?" A Yautja hisses.

"She does have a name! And it is Kella." Aja hisses back. "She has been given the sign of Protection and so is entitled to a name in our eyes." He pauses to glare at the Yautja who insulted his Kella but the Young Blood was fast in lowering his head submissively. "And yes, she did serve us and it was a fine C'ntlip indeed."

"And how would you know?" Nth'ta laughs. "You did not drink yours! I guess being so close to her and knowing you could not take her, despite how worthy her skull must be, because of Elder Rhd was infuriating."

"What did I do now?" Elder Rhd voices as he and a few of his children and grandchildren come up to the group who stands to acknowledge him. Aja was also greeting a few of his own children who were accompanying his father. Three of his sons that were with him were training for their Kainde Amedha Chiva while the other three were already Young Bloods.

"We were just commenting on how aggravated Aja was at not being able to hunt the female who is Protected." Bthm tells the Elder straight faced even though he was trying his hardest not to laugh.

"Ah yes." Elder Rhd trills as he motions for the others to sit then he lower his aging body down as well. "Your heart raced in anger so loud that I was sure those on the DropShip could have heard you from her dwelling." He says causing those who could hear to laugh. "Where have you been my son, have you made any progress on your own?"

"Some…" Aja says softly. He may not have made progress when it came to the Bad Blood, but her sure as Paya made progress with Kella.

"We have made little progress." Elder Rhd sighs. "Shame that this Bad Blood chose his path, he is very skilled in staying hidden."

"That he is." Another Yautja comments.

For to long, Aja sat with his father, some of his brothers and some of his sons as he tried to listen into the conversation. But he was having a hell of a hard time. Kella wouldn't leave him. She looked radiant as he woke her, she was so beautiful. _'But how can I find an Ooman attractive?_' He asks himself. Perhaps it was the way she smiles, whether it was the evil grin or one from joy. Perhaps it was the way she laughs. Or how she moved. It could be how her blood red hair made her look amazing or her sky blue eyes that entranced him. Perhaps it was all of that.

No, it WAS all of that.

In the middle of the conversation, one of Ajas sons spoke about wanting that Protected female to be striped of her gift, and Aja was fast in punishing him for even talking about harming a female, particularly one that is Protected and because she was his Kella. The others in the group laughed as they thought that Aja was being so aggressive because he wanted to take the female. Which was true but not how they thought so.

"I have grown bored of this discussion." Aja hisses to the large gathering and leaves, not wanting to hear any more about the Bad Blood or Kella. But their conversation and his thoughts forced him to have a sudden hunger to see her again. And so Aja quickly adorned his Awu'asa once more, claiming to have a need to hunt so no one would question him.

It didn't take him long to exit the DropShip as it was only a medium sized one as the Clan ship was in orbit. The Ooman day was now in the beginning of its night, the strange white puffs were hiding the last bits of light as the darkness was slowly creeping onto the sky. It was rather cool Aja noticed and he even used his heating net to keep him warm. Aja was hoping the Kella was home, if she was he had to go talk to her. Just to talk to her. He could say that he was just checking on her once more. But she may find it odd that he had done that twice in one Ooman day. He will think of something when he gets there. But as Aja jumped from roof top to roof top, his eyes caught a glimpse of a white figure standing in front of Kellas home. Taking his usual perch across from her house, Aja looses his breath as he sees it WAS Kella. She had her red hair in many tight curls with small strings of white tied to ringlet's here and there. Her face was strange… But beautiful. Only Kellas bottom lip was painted white and she had her eyelids colored with a light coating of white as well. She was wearing a shirt that left her whole back exposed, it was only held up because it was wrapped by her neck and only covered her front partially. There was a large hole at the front as well, with a wonderful amount of cleavage showing. She then had small bands of white material on her arms, perfectly placed to make her look smaller then she truly was. But why would she want to look smaller? Kella also had a long loincloth. All down the front of it were actually passages from 'The Story of Creation'. Aja couldn't help but smile as he relishes in the idea that she was a follower of Paya. It was only then that Kellas love of her sacred color finally clicked.

He was watching her again.

After delivering the new Plow to Andrew, Kella dropped off the bytte and scurried home to get ready to go out. She had dressed in her usual going out fashions. But she opted for a simple pair of thong sandals instead of any high healed things. She just couldn't move well in them. She had been told by Mercedes that this night at the club Blade was going to be a 'noir party'. Meaning you could only wear black, but like hell was she going to wear black for them. Her best friend was also going to pick her up and so Kella was waiting outside for her when she felt this sudden jerk in her gut. She instantly knew that Aja was watching her again. She could just feel it. But she had to act casual. When the familiar humming of a bytte came to her ears, Kella sighs in relief as she sees Mercedes' stupid little bytte coming her way. Of course she had to have it bright pauk-de pink. So when Mercedes pulled up to her, and shut the thing off, Kella shakes her head disapprovingly as her best friend gets out of the front to give her the keys. Kella would always drive.

"What?" Mercedes asks innocently.

"Pink, pink, pink." Kella scowls as she grabs the keys and head to the drivers seat, but before they got in, Mercedes said the stupidest thing,

"You know you're only allowed to wear black, right?" Kella stops walking, slowly turns to her friend and gives her a black look. "And you don't care…" Mercedes laughs and they both get in. After a few minutes, Mercedes noticed that Kella was driving rather slower then she usually does. She knew this because she wasn't holding on to the seat for dear life! But what she didn't know was that Kella was going slow enough to make sure that Aja knew where she was going. To be sure that he could follow her and that's exactly what he was doing.

"Alright, what's wrong?" She asks Kella in a worried tone.

"I met a guy." Kella admits a little but when Mercedes squeals in delight, Kella had to cover her ear that was closest to her. "What the hell was that?"

"The great Caretaker Kella has met a male she finds worthy! CALL THE PRESSES!" Mercedes laughs. "Tell me about him? And tell me why the hell you are not in his bed and going out to get some other male to do his job?" Kella couldn't help but blush a little at the accusation, but she was spot on.

"His name is Aja."

"A Yautja name? Wow. There are a lot of people being named with Yautja names these days huh?"

"Yeah, I know. But I don't know about him. I just met him like…yesterday?" Kella pauses as she feels as though she had known Aja since she could remember and that her life didn't just go all screwy in the past day or so. "Yeah, yesterday. He is so different then any male I have ever seen. I just, I just want him. Its more then just lust though."

"Why the hell you are not in his bed and going out to get some other male to do his job?" Mercedes repeats her question.

"Because I we are playing a game that he doesn't even know I know we are playing." Mercedes squints her brown eyes in confusion and Kella laughs. "I was teasing him last night, standing in front of my window in my sleepwear because I knew he was watching."

"You slut." Her friend laughs.

"Anyways, I am not in his bed because well…I don't know." Kella did know however. But she didn't want to tell her best friend yet. For one thing Mercedes would ask to have each and every Yautja described so she could fantasize about them. Before Mercedes could ask anything more Kella pulls up to the valet parking, in front of all the other waiting bytte, and she and Mercedes get out. One of the valet kids was fast in abandoning the group of people at the front of the line and they were about to yell about his action but when they saw Kella, they shut up. Kella gives the kids the keys and also a quick hug because the two go way back. Even though Evan, the valet kid, was only about fifteen, he had been through a lot and Kella got him a got at Blade to help him get on his feet. Kella whispers in his ear that he is doing a great job and Evan beams with the complement. Taking Mercedes' hand, Kella begins to walk through the crowd that was trying to get in. She didn't care as a few of them cursed her, all she had to do was look at them crossly and they shut up. As she and her best friend came to the front doors which were covered in intricately laid blades, hence the name, Kella nods to the regular bouncer and he smiles to her with his funny thin lips and opens the door for them. The soft light from the club was bouncing off his bald head and exaggerating his muscles as his black shirt was too tight. But just as they were about to enter the club, the new kid did something very, very stupid.

"Hey, you are not allowed to wear anything but black!" A screeching voice comes from the small kid. Kella would have brushed it off but the kid idiotically placed his hand on her abdomen to keep her from going in.

"That was dumb." The older bouncer laughs. In an instant, Kella drop kicks the new guy to the ground, hoping that the new bouncer would know to keep his hands off her. "Since that one Yautja skinned the other guy, we've been having a hard time finding someone good to take his place." They have a short laugh as the bald one helps the new kid up as Kella and Mercedes enter the club.

Aja had heard of places like this before. But he had never seen one. It was rather easy to follow Kella was she got into a bytte as she was going at a steady speed. Aja was wondering where she was going dressed so…openly. And when she and another female stopped at this establishment, Aja was actually mad. Some Yautja would talk of how the Oomans would collect with each other and go through mating rituals in places like this. But why would Kella be here? She wasn't here to mate was she? He had to laugh as a small male tried to restrain his Kella and got kicked to the ground before he could breath. But why was she here?

As Kella and her friend went inside, Aja jumps to the roof of the building and uses an open window that was there to go in. But just as Aja enters, he snorts at the strong scent of both males and females. Aroused males and females. It was incredibly strong, just how many Oomans were in this place? He got his answer as Aja find a large rafter to sit on, giving him a perfect view of entire place. There must have been over two hundred Oomans in this place but Aja could find Kella in an instant. While the other Oomans were wearing black, she was wearing her white once more. _She is so beautiful…_

"Take the keys," Kella yells into her friends' ear. The club was thumping with dance music that made Kellas lungs rattle, her heart pound and her breath deep. Mercedes gives her friend a wink in understanding and grabs the keys to place them in her little pink purse that matched her outfit. Kella gives her best friend a small kiss on the cheek before heading to the bar, in serious need of a drink.

"KENNY!" Kella yells down the bar and the small black man leisurely strolls over to her.

"Yes Kella." His high pitched voice comes out of him as he leans on the counter.

"What's the special for tonight?" Out of the blue both the bartender and a few of those surrounding her being to laugh hysterically. "Did I miss something?" Kella smiles.

"The special is called 'Caretaker Kella'." He laughs at Kellas odd and confused face. "The drink is this," Kenny pauses to grab a small glass. "A little bit of Vodka," He pours about a quarter cup. "Then a shot of C'ntlip." He puts in less then a teaspoon. "And them a sugar cube." He plops it in then slides the concoction towards Kella but she doesn't pick it up. "It is called 'Caretaker Kella' because it looks harmless, almost like whiskey. But if you are not careful with it, you will regret it in the morning!" He laughs.

"Very funny." Kella says straight faced but couldn't hold it long and also burst in a chuckle. "Do I sip it or shoot it?"

"Shoot." With that Kella grasps the small glass and downs the brew. She slams the glass back down as she tried to understand what was happening in her mouth. It was fizzy but smooth and the sugar balanced with the tart from the C'ntlip fantastically.

"It's alright." Kella coughs and Kenny just shakes his head at her.

"You are just like your drink, defiant to the norm."

"Please warn me if I even become 'the norm' for it is then that I know my time is finished." Kella laughs and starts back up into the crowd. She was just waving goodbye to Kenny when we back hit something very solid. Kella twists around not knowing what to expect and was meet with a very muscle bound male.

"Sorry." A very deep baritone voice reverberates from the tall male in front of her. He must be six and a half feet tall and he is built. His deep brown almost black hair was cut very short, and his eyes were so dark from the bad lighting in the club that it looked as though he had no eyes, they were just black. Kella just stares at him for a moment and he smiles at her silence. "You're Caretaker Kella, right?"

"Yeah." Kella breaths out. He was gorgeous, his muscles well defined even under the black shirt he was wearing with thick, strong legs coming out from a wide loincloth.

"I've heard a lot about you?" The male smiles.

"Have you now?" Kella smiles back.

'_And who is this pauk-de?_' Aja thinks as he watches Kella engage with a large male. She wasn't here to find a mate, was she? Aja starts to breath heavily out of anger at the thought. Why was he being so possessive? Kella was NOT his. He has no right to say who she can and cannot be with. It's not his place. Aja shakes his head and sighs, he was just readying himself to leave when he watches Kella take the male by the hand and lead him into the large crowd that was moving together. But just as the two got into the middle, the male roughly pulls Kella into him, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I didn't think you would be so approachable." The male, who Kella found his name to be Adam, holds her to him.

"I am many things…" Kella licks her lips and smiles seductively at him, resting her hands in his chest. Adam softly growls at her and Kella had the sudden thought of Aja. Was he watching her now? Yes, she could feel him watching. Just then the song changed to a slower tempo and Kella twists in his arms so her back was to him, the two begin to grind their bodies together. Kella was thinking that the male behind her was not Ooman and in fact a Yautja, that it was Aja. Her Aja. He was thinking the same thing. Aja had to hold down a growl as he watches them press their bodies together. And even as the males' hands began to roam his Kellas body, Aja had to hold himself back to keep from jumping down and killing him. Adam uses a hand and swipes Kellas hair from her right shoulder only to nuzzle his head into her neck, nipping at it slightly with his teeth, getting a soft whimper from Kella as a response. But Aja heard it just fine, and he felt something in him stir at the sound.

Adam trails his hand down her bare back, softly grazing her skin, causing Kella to arch her back at the sensation. But as his hands fell onto her wounds, Kella yelps at the sting but Adam was quick in apologizing and then gently caresses them. Licking his lips to get them really wet, Adam kisses Kella right behind her ear and then gently blows in the spot, enticing her entire body to shiver from the sensation and goose-bumps to grow all over her.

"Holy c'jit." Kella moans.

"Like that?" Adams says in a voice was filled with husky arousal.

"Where did you pick that up from?" Kella turns in his hands and bites her lip as her eyes connect with his.

"I've been around. I just moved here from Kina city and as I have said, I have heard a lot of you."

"And what have you heard?" Kella smiles at him.

"I heard that you were tough." Adam says as he trails his hand gently up her sides. "I heard that you are a killer." He then grasps her almost painfully at the hip and pulls her into him. "I heard that you were beautiful, which I have to say I completely agree with." Adam leans lower so his lips were almost touching hers. "And I heard you were unconquerable. That no male you have ever mated with says in your favor for long."

"If you know that, then why are you tempting me so?" She whispers, allowing her lips to browses his with her words.

"I just want to know what having the great Caretaker Kella under me would be like…" He trails his words and slowly pushes his lips to hers. Kella brings her hands to his shoulders, wrapping them around him as she imagines that it is Aja she is kissing. That it is Aja who is in her arms. That it is Aja who wishes to know what she is like under him.

"So Adam, do you think you can handle me? Knowing that I will just draw on your talents? That I will forever stay 'unconquerable' until the right male comes to me?" She says after breaking the kiss, hoping beyond hope that Aja was listening…And he was. He wasn't sure what to make of her words. For one thing the male was clear in his intentions and Aja found them admirable that he was so blunt in his actions. But Kella actually stuns him with her words. Ooman females weren't like this. He knew from his experiences that they go for long term, almost lifemates relationships. But not Kella. _'Why not?'_ He asks himself, almost disappointed.

"I think I can handle you quite well." Adam growls in her ear, making Kella shiver as her mind sees Aja saying those things, that the hot breath on her skin was his, that it's him saying he can take her.

"Perhaps I should test you on your words?" Kella moans in his ear and he rumbles a groan in his throat.

"I don't have a place we can go. I only have my bytte, I just moved here remember?" Kella gasps when Adam licks her earlobe and moves his hands to her bottom.

"Let's go to my house then." Kella says a little louder then needed, just so Aja would know. "Where I am sure I can properly use your endowments…" Kella pushes her hips into his and feels that he is more then aroused. He groans at the pressure and smiles against her ear.

"How is it that I have only just found you now?" Adam breaks their embrace and starts to pull her towards the exit.

"I am a hot commodity I suppose. But what I truly want I cannot have." Kella hides her feelings from Aja as she is sure he can hear them. But as soon as Aja had heard that she was going to her house, Aja left. He didn't want to see it. He didn't want to see the female he wanted to mate with another male. At first at least. When it came time for Aja to choose whether to go back to the DropShip or to her home, his body made the decision for him and he soon found himself at his perch across from her house. It wasn't one minute later that a different bytte came to her home and out came his Kella and that dammed male.

"What's with you and white?" Adam asks her as they almost run into her house.

"It's a pure color." Kella leaves it at that as she opens the door.

"Welcome home Kella, how was your night?" Ken asks.

"Quiet Ken." With her words, Ken goes into silent mode. "Shoes…" Kella motions to Adams shoes and they both speedily take them off and Adam begins to follow her up the stair and to her room.

"Holy C'jit." Adam gasps and stops just as they enter her giant room. "This is amazing…"

"Um hmm." Kella moans as she walks back wards to her bed. With a quick jerk of her head, Kella finds her drapes still open from the night before, along with that same wonderful feeling that Aja was watching her. "Lights." Kella snaps Adam out of his trance as the lights turn on and he finally gets a good look at her and she of him. Adam was deeply tanned, probably even of African decent. His wide nose and large lips also an indication of that.

"So what talents are you going to show me redhead?" Adam laughs as he walks over to her seeing that Kella was leaning against her very large bed. He strides to her and pushes her onto the bed and leans down over her. Kella eagerly and slowly take off his tight black shirt to find sculpted muscle underneath, which she slowly and seductively kisses after she tosses the shirt to the floor.

"I was thinking of teasing you for a while, until you couldn't handle it any longer." She moans when Adam roughly pushes his growing groin into hers, grinding himself against her.

"Oh please don't do that, I beg you…" He growls into her ear.

"Okay, no teasing Adam." Kella laughs at his request. She tilts her head in confusion when Adam rises from her body, but when little by little he starts to take off her shirt, she smiles at him. Once Kellas shirt was completely off, Adam takes a moment to look at the stunning female below him. Her red hair was spread over the white bed, her blue eyes filled with a lust just as his. Kella licks her lips and lifts her hands over her head, silently inviting him in and Adam wasn't late in accepting the temptation. His hands agonizingly trail up her body, letting his fingers almost walk on her ever hotter skin until they were met by her mounds of beautiful flesh. "No teasing me either!" Kella protests, however Adam just smiles evilly at her.

"Aw, can't the Caretaker take it?" Adams voice having a playful twist to it.

"You do not tempt me like you did and then hold it from me!" Kella growls and wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him back into her. Adam laughs at the move and leans down to kiss her passionately, his tongue and hers fighting for power. Kella lets her hands roam the males back as she hold him to her, hating the fact that his skin was smooth of any scars, of any bumps or of texture…Like Ajas would be. Soon though her hands travel down to the clasps at the sides of Adams loincloth and in an instant it was off his hip and on the floor as well, soon followed by Kellas.

"What am I doing here?" Aja says out loud. He knew that this was going too far in watching her but he couldn't rip himself from the scene before him. Even as Ajas breathing became hard from both anger and rage, it was also from pleasure. Just to see his Kella as she was, laid on the bed, her breast in clear view, her naked body open and willing…She is so beautiful…

Adam grabs Kella by the waist as lifts her to the center of the bed only to lay on top of her, one of his legs between hers. Leaning to one side on an elbow, he looks her over and can't believe that he actually has the great Caretaker Kella naked beside him. While he knew the idea of having her was wonderful, now that he was actually going to have her…it's even better. Tilting his head so it was right above hers, to look into her eyes as he does it, Adam moves his hand down to the junction between her legs and unhurriedly draws circles with his fingers on her bare flesh, loving the texture of her hairless womanhood. Kella lifts her hips and whines in needs, spreading her legs to encourage him and it worked well. Adam slides one finger into her pink folds to find her completely and entirely wet with her moisture. Smirking devilishly as Kella moans from the touch, Adam gently takes his hand back, to her displeasured groan, but Kellas eyes soon light up as he moves over her, guiding both legs between her and Kella once again envelops him with her legs. Adam doesn't enter her however, and leans down to whisper into her ear.

"I never thought I would actually take you…" He says calmly.

"Take me now." Kella moans into Adams ear. Steadying himself at her entrance, Adam shifts himself so he was eye level with the female he was about to take, letting her see just how much he wants this. "Pl…please." Kella stutters, trying to pull him into her with her legs but he was too strong and keeps himself at her opening. She just wanted something, anything but what she needed was Aja. But all she had right now was Adam.

With one fierce thrust, Adam plunges his stiff member into the female beneath him, enticing moans on both sides. With slow, lingering circles of his hips, Adam begins a tempting and mean bout of pleasure for Kella, his hard manhood excruciatingly hitting every spot to give her the most pleasure possible. Arching her back to meet his deliberate and deep movements, Kella had to close her eyes from the intense feelings. But as she did, her mind began to envision Aja, this making her moan loudly as she could feel herself reach a soft climax. With the soft tightening of Kellas moist folds, Adam straightens up and groans at the sensation, but never did he quicken his pace, keeping to his calculatingly slow thrusts. Adam lets his head fall back as he tries to keep himself in his steady display, but as he hears the slight whimpers from Kella, begging him to go faster, deeper, harder…

He couldn't say no.

Gritting his teeth and growling, Adam begins to go at a manic rate. Having to move his hands to her hips to keep it up, Kella arches her back at the new pace, moaning from the immense pleasure from the male between her legs. Kella had to stifle a groan in anger as her mind tells her 'it's not Aja that is there, it is an Ooman. It's an Ooman that's giving you this satisfaction that you so wished he to be Aja'. Her thought of Aja however threaten to carry her over the edge once again, to bring her into her own sexual bliss as Adam continues his onslaught of deep and forceful thrusts. She needs him deeper, she needs to have him as far as he can go. And so, Kella runs her hands around Adams waist and to him bottom, pulling him to her even harder.

Aja could already feel himself growing with need and want for her. Both literally and figuratively. He could feel his own manhood begging for his Kella to help in his release. But she wasn't there with him. Snarling to himself, Aja slowly glides his hand under his loincloth and grasps his now swollen and hard piece. And going in sync with their own movements, Aja begins to stroke himself. Imagining that it was him making her moan like that, that it was him between he legs…

"Oh pauk!" Adam growls, but he doesn't stop his snarl. He was so close to his own release, it was only when Kellas hands touched him did he finally hit his mark and his body was fell over the edge of the pleasure cliff. Adams sounds', that gruff growl that so reminded Kella of her Yautja, of her Aja, gave her just the right hit and she could feel her body begin one amazing release. Pumping her hips against his, Kella moans as an astronomical climax hit her full force. She tires to bite her lips, trying to keep herself from yelling but she just couldn't as she hears Adam yells as he also reaches his max. When he felt Kellas body contract around his stiff member, he couldn't hold back any longer and yells her name as he releases in her. But as he was yelling her name into the air, she was yelling someone else's.

Aja couldn't believe what he was seeing, it was both infuriating and so arousing. But never did he stop his own attention to himself, he just couldn't leave his want and need unaided. Because it was his Kella that was moaning in pleasure from mating. But it was not him who was causing those incredible sounds. It was not him who was compelling himself into her. It wasn't him. As much as he wanted it t be, it wasn't. Aja growls when he recognizes the tell tail signs that the coupling was about to end. He was also just about to find his release but he just couldn't compel himself to stay and watch her with this male any longer. He was just about to leave, to spare him from the sight when his ears pick up the most beautiful tempting voice, the greatest thing he had ever heard in his entire life. And it was that sound that pushed him into his own sexual bliss.

"AJA!" Kellas voice punctures the night air. Adam only heard the last of her cry though, never hearing the odd name that was interlaced with her screams of pleasure. But even if his own climax allowed him to focus on anything other then his release, he wouldn't have cared. Both of the entwined bodies freeze suddenly when out of the blue and ominous and extremely thunderous roar over shadows their own calls of satisfaction.

"What the pauk was that?" Adam asks after he mildly recovers. He falls back on the bed, pulling himself out of Kella and resting to her side.

"Mmm… Didn't you know? The Yautja are here…" Kella laughs as she knows exactly who that roar had come from. Her Aja.

Authors note: I bet you thought it was going to be with Aja…right? I am so evil! I point at you and laugh! Sorry…

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell, Oak Tree Woman, and swift hunter.

On aff .net: scars lady13, Cara, Narranasa, Kehlan, chancelor22, Shalimar, Bee, aquamum, astaralreaper, Anna, Prairiefire, and Tambourines (Yeah…I tend to do that, sorry).

To Bees' review that said 'Quick question though I was a bit confused by when she said: "I didn't want your life on my back." Kella almost whispers. "And I didn't want to kill you because of what you did to me." Wouldn't she want to hurt someone who wanted to hurt her? I just wasn't sure what she meant by her statement.': Kella was not talking about Aja chasing her. She was referring to when she was a child and he roared at her. While she is one to hold a grudge, which you will learn about later on, she didn't want to hold one for just being scared because Aja roared at her. And she just didn't want to kill him by way of a bunch of Oomans and their bytte. (Their car type things) I hope that helps, if not email me at I would love to hear from you!

E.M.


	6. The day before

The History of Tomorrow

The day before

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

****

**Just a quick thing, remember that I am sharing names between this and 'Ripple' because it is easer for me. It's hard making up Yautja names…It really is! So please do not associate the names used here with characters in 'Ripple'. And the symbol of ' "" ' is just to say there is a change in scenes. **

E.M.

"Waste." Aja hisses and looks at his seed. He was actually felling a bit abnormal, he hadn't done anything like that since he was an Unblood. But for his Kella, and for what she said – calling for him - it was worth the shame of his seed not going to a female. Resting against the ground, Aja shakes his head at himself, he should have never come to see her. Even though she called for him, what does that show? What does that reveal? That she had sexual desires for him? Aja smirks at the idea. Perhaps she does have the same feelings. But is it only sexual? She clearly called for him at the peak of their act…THEIR act… Sneering gravely, Aja stands at the edge of the building and looks to Kellas window, seeing that male caress his Kellas face with his hands. Something in Ajas blood began to boil. He can't stay here any longer. If he did, he would go and kill that male, and it would be a dishonorable kill. He should have never come here. Not looking back, Aja turns his back to the scene and leaves.

""

Kella felt empty. All of the sudden, that warm feeling in her vanished. He was gone. Her Aja was gone.

"Do you want me to stay?" Adam asks softly, tracing her jaw line with a finger.

"No male I have ever mated with stays in my favor for long." Kella says coldly and gets up from her bed. "You can shower here if you want, or you can go." She leans against the door frame, crossing her arms over her naked torso. Adam trails his eyes down her form one last time before plastering on a fake smile.

"I think I will just go." He says roughly and starts to put his cloths on.

"I'll see you around, Adam." Kella says then walks into her bathroom, closes the door and starts the shower.

"This is wild." Adam whispers to himself. He knew that this female, this Caretaker Kella, was like this, but he doesn't want to leave. Slipping on his loincloth, Adam couldn't help but wonder why she was so blatant in telling him to leave. Did she not feel anything but a need to mate with him? He felt more, a strange connection ever since she bumped into him, but didn't she? Adam knew that he was like this with other females, it was who he was. He just 'exercises' them to serve a purpose but now that he is on the 'used' end and not the 'using', he now knew why so many females wanted to stay with him, that and his social status. It was feeling something for someone, that they didn't feel back. And it hurt. Once fully clothed, Adam starts out of the room, but stops at the door. He can't just leave. He didn't want to go. He turns around and takes a few steps back into the room, intending on going into the shower with her but…she didn't want him to stay. Adam growls to himself in frustration, racking his hand through his short hair. He couldn't force himself to leave just yet. He wants to tell her that he wants to stay. That he felt something more. But then his head began to think about everything. About what he had to do when he got to his temporary home to ready for the next day. He was a busy man, and had a lot do now that he moved here to Acropolis to do his job. But…he just can't leave…can he? Growling once more, Adam shakes his head at idea of even trying to convince Kella there was something, and then leaves.

As soon as she was done with washing, Kella makes sure to take a hormone given to any female who did not with to have a child yet, to be sure that she didn't have a Adam junior running around. As much as she wanted kids, she just didn't want them with Adam. Changing into her sleepwear, Kella strips the bed of its linens to put clean ones one, throwing the dirty set by her door to clean in the morning. Sliding into bed with wet hair, Kella curls up with the pillow and her comforter, she was ready to cry. She didn't know why, but she just felt sad. Was it guilt? Yes it was guilt. How could she have done that? How could she have mated in front of Aja, her Aja, knowing that he was there? Her little punishment the night before was fun, and amusing and even arousing but this… A small tear falls from one of Kellas eyes and it travels down over the ridge of her nose then drips onto her favorite pillow. After that first tear, Kella couldn't hold it back anymore, and she fell asleep crying for what she had done.

(On the DropShip with Aja…)

Using the back entrance to the DropShip, Aja had to elude all the other males so that the scent of his musk would not be caught. He would never hear the end of it if they found him, Aja wouldn't even be able to say it was from a Yautja female he was thinking of. But he had made it to his room without meeting another hunter, and for a moment he leaned against the back of his door to his room. It was a small room to say the least, as all rooms on a DropShip are. It held nothing but a bed, a bathroom and a small trophy room. Sighing lowly, Aja lifts himself from the wall and walks into him trophy room to take off his Awu'asa. Once in, he leisurely unlatches his mask and places it on its stand, taking a moment to look at its markings. There were so many battles, hunts and fights marked on this simple thing. But as a mastery of artistry as it was, it couldn't keep his face safe from the Hard Meats during his trial. Trailing a few fingers down his face, Aja closes his eyes and smiles as the memory of his Chiva takes a momentary lapse in his time. He had taken seven trophies that day, and was one of the few to actually come back from being sent. His face had been beautifully marked by his last kill, the Hard Meats claws digging through his mask and into is face. Aja shakes his head and begins to meticulously take off his armor, one piece at a time. However, when it came time for him to take off his belt, something glimmers in the light of his small trophy room from a small metal pouch. Opening the small pocket, Aja softly laughs to himself as he holds up the neck charm he had taken from Kella the day he chased her. Holding it at eye level, the tear drop shaped, pearl colored charm twists and turns as it hangs from Ajas hands.

"You are as beautiful as your owner." Aja thrills lightly. With the charm in hand, Aja finishes undressing and hangs everything on their corresponding hangers. He leaves his trophy room and heads to the bathroom to clean from the days…actions. The small but well equipped room had all the necessary things a bathroom would need but Aja heads straight from the in ground bath. Once it was filled with the perfect temperature water, Aja lowers himself in, groaning as his body enters the soft green waters. He dips his head back, wetting all of his tresses. Unconsciously, all of Ajas mandibles clatter together from the wonderful feeling of the water. Resting back onto the lip of the bath, Aja lifts his hand to again stare at the pearl charm. He brings his hand to his mouth, spreading his mandibles, and takes a deep, immense breath to catch any scent, and did he ever. With his expert sense of smell, Aja went past the scent of the metal chain, even of the cool pearl and he was caught up in the scent of his Kella.

"Bacca." Aja thrills. Kellas scent smells like the bacca berry. No larger then a pea, the bacca berry is the color of… "KELLAS EYES!" Aja barks loudly. They were the exact same color. Brighter than the Ooman sky and just as alluring. Laughing out loud, Aja couldn't help but compare Kella to the bacca berry. Both were beautiful, both were something he wanted to have. But the bacca berry, if taken in great amounts, can become addictive. The body and mind begins to crave the berry as one would for the hunt. Just as is his Kella. Aja sets her charm on the side of the bath and closes his eyes. Letting the soothing waters rest his body.

The next Ooman day…

Aja woke from a late nap as some of the hunters came to view the Ooman trophy of his. While he told them that he did get it from hunting, he just didn't mention that it was from a few nights before. They were astounded as Aja described the fight, even displaying his scar on his forearm. They were all soon taken from story telling when new information came in that the Bad Blood was on the move, trying to leave the Delta District that he had fled to. And so, all of the fifty joining hunters quickly dresses in their Awu'asa and left the DropShip to hunt. The Ooman sun was up with a vengeance, but the heat didn't bother him as much as the cool of the night before had. Every time Aja looked to the Ooman sky, seeing the funny white puffs as usual, he thought of his Kella.

"Why do you suppose this Bad Blood came here unauthorized?" A Yautja asks Elder Rhd as he was accompanying his sons group of ten this day.

"He was too young to be admitted into this seasons Kainde Amedha Chiva," Aja answers. "My guess is he was angry about that and so came here to prove his worth to go into this season's faction." The group of eleven hunters had taken a different entrance to the Delta District as the other four groups would as well. Traveling cloaked and ALMOST silent, they had begun to scout possible places that this Bad Blood could conceal himself.

"Shame that his male had done this to himself." Bthm sighs. "Do we even have his name?"

"What would his name do to accelerate this hunt?" Elder Rhd scolds, but in a teaching manner. "The fact of the mater is this, he dishonorably hunted a species that is in the territory of the Yautja. We cannot look past this as is it a great offence to exploit or take advantage of something you own." Unseen to the others, Aja frowns at his fathers words. But he knew he was right. They had taken the Ooman world from the creators and now they were in their hands and should not be abused. But just the words 'something you own' made him feel odd as he thought of his Kella. He didn't own her, no one did. But as a pray species, the Yautja owned the Oomans. And Kella was an Ooman.

A little while later and the group of eleven hunters split into one of six and one of five. Aja had the four new comers to get them acquainted with the Ooman world as they searched for the Bad Blood. At one time they had found a hide-out of his where there was evidence that the Yautja had stayed for a night or two. But it was a cold trail as he didn't leave any evidence as to where he had gone. But Elder Rhd has the company of both Bthm and Nth'ta along with three of the most experienced hunters Pakka, Nder and Jed. The group with Elder Rhd went east as Ajas followed behind, and it was Elder Rhd who came upon something he, Bthm and Nth'ta thought hilarious.

"Is this female everywhere?" Bthm thrills in laughter over the COM.

"What female?" Elder Rhd asks, coming closer to Bthms position. And when he did, he too began to laugh. "I swear to Paya, Kella and I are destined to be in each others company."

"What are you talking of, father?" Aja asks as he was too far behind to see. But at the name of his Kella, he became interested.

"Kella, she is here. In the Delta District." Nth'ta answers. "And she is bouncing a ball around with a bunch of adolescents." Just then Ajas group gets to there side and he couldn't help but smile at the scene.

Earlier that day morning…

Kella had a broken nights sleep, waking every two or so hours to cry. The sun wasn't even thinking about coming up yet and Kella had begun her rounds. It was going to be a warm day until the evening so she dresses openly. But the way she dresses wasn't just for the weather. Every four days, rain or shine, Kella had a date with the kids in the Delta District who were involved in the community centers. But throughout the day, Kella would have the strangest feeling like Aja was watching her. But she knew it wasn't a true feeling. More like, every time she thought of him she would feel it to punish herself for what she had done to him. Her stomach would quench, her lungs squeeze and then, it would go away. By mid day she had gone to all her contacts to see if there was any trouble, and with the out look good for the day, Kella made her way to her date.

"HEY!" Kella yells out to the group of kids that ranged in age from five to fourteen. "You started without me!" She whines.

"We thought you wouldn't come!" A small child yells back.

"I would call you to say so…" Kella, once she was close to the small kid, runs her hand in his long brown hair. "So how is everyone?" She asks the group and gets a few 'goods' and few 'alrights' and a lot of no answers. "What are we playing today?" She changes the subject. She knew that these kids had it rough, and that they couldn't really talk about the goings on in their District for fear of punishment of the gangs and such.

"Basketball!" An older boy calls out.

"You have a basketball?" Kella asks confused. She hasn't seen a real basketball in years. The funny orange balls were hard to come by.

"It was a gift from my grandfather who lives up in June City." One of the workers of the community center answers.

"Well now, I think the first game should be for the older kids." There was a whole lot of whining after her words, but Kella knew that the first game would be rather rough as no one has played in a while. The large group then walks the short distance to an old worn out basketball court, the baskets only having a ring and the whole court was surrounded by chain link fence. Once the teams of Kella and the three older people from the center and the other of four youth were ready, the game began. Of course Kella went easy on the kids, and even let them get a few baskets. But her team was always winning. In the middle of the game however, Kella felt that jolt in her stomach once again, wishing to herself that she could forget about Aja for this hour, just so she could help these kids forget about their rotten lives and just play. But with her concentration taken form her, a youth from the other team successfully knocks her to the ground, Kellas back firmly planted to the broken pavement. And suddenly he kneels down to her ear, his light brown skin glistening from sweat and his afro hair ticking her face.

"Kella…" He whispers, fear evident in his voice. "Kella that's him, the guy with the backpack standing at the corner there…" His eyes dart to the end of the chain fence where the guy stood, but Kella was smart enough not to look just yet. The kid then stands up from her and starts to walk away.

"HEY!" Kella yells. "You come down to me and talk trash then don't help me up!" She exclaims, making the kid come back and give her a hand up. "When we are near that end of the court, throw me the ball." She whispers into his ear and nods. As each played got into their position, it wasn't long until they were at the right end of the court. The afro kid got the ball and quickly chucks it in Kellas direction. Still running, she catches the ball and heads for the guy at the corner. "Hey you!" She yells in his direction and he soon turns to see who called him, only to get the basketball in his face.

""

"What is she doing?" Elder Rhd asks out loud.

"She attacked that male without cause!" Jed hisses. "And you said this female was honorable."

"She would not have done it without reason." Aja defends. And they soon found out why Kella did what she did.

""

"What the hell?" The grungy guy with the backpack yells after he fell to the ground. But Kella didn't answer him. In an instant Kella was down, sitting on him stomach with all her weight and punches him right in the face, yelling at him to shut up. She then grabs hold of the guys backpack and opens it right on his chest. "Wait, what are you doing?" But all he got again was a shut up from the woman on him. Being careful of her hands, Kella starts to look through the massive amount of drug in this guys bag. There were even a few C'ntlip shots.

""

"What is it?" One of the younger hunters asks.

"Narcotics." Elder Rhd sighs. It had been a big problem with the Ooman since the beginning.

"What are those?" The same male asks.

"It is almost like our C'ntlip, but they have different names and substances. But for them, it is addictive. Oomans who are addicted become depended on the item they chose, using it to make them feel better but all it really does it make their lives worse. There are fewer and fewer worthy pray out there because of things like this. They make the Oomans weak, unworthy." Elder Rhd hisses. "Kella is just doing her job. Protecting those around her. But this is not her District and so cannot protect it like she does hers. But she helps."

"Perhaps she is honorable." Nder says softly, and Aja smiles.

""

Closing the bag and putting it over her shoulder, Kella gives him one last punch to his face, making sure to break his nose.

"How stupid are you, huh?" She hisses into his ear. "I could small the drugs on you from over there." She points to the court where all the kids stand watching. "I don't care what is going to happen to you, but I am taking this bag and burning everything that's in it. And you can tell who ever gave you this stuff to sell, to take it up with me."

"You stupid bitch." The guy says in a low voice. "You think you can protect this District like yours? HA! You can't. No matter what you do, there is only one of you."

"I know that. And I am not a pauk-de hero. But I will protect my own. I will protect these children from the likes of you. I'm glad it was I who spotted you, because then I got to kick your ass. Those kids that call this c'jit hole of a District home can't do anything against you. They know it. I know it. But what they can do it keep themselves clean of this c'jit in this bag, and soon you and your employers won't have any profit in this District. I am doing what I can, but people like you are making it really hard. Now, get out of my sight or I will end your pitiful life." With that Kella stands up and gives the guy space to run and he does just that.

"That won't do any good." One of the workers says.

"I know." Kella sighs and walks back to the group. "But it gets this stuff off the streets. I think that we are going to have to continue the game next time guys, I need to do this." She says motioning to the backpack on her back. "And then I am going to go home, I am all sticky and stinky!" She laughs with them all about the hard work out they all endured. "Come say good bye." Kella waves to the smaller kids that were safely behind the chain fence.

"So, your coming back?" A small blond boy asks. Before she answers, Kella drops the backpack on the ground and lifts the boy into her arms to give him a big hug.

"I will always come back." She whispers into his ear. This kid had lost too much and is even living in the community center. He was always afraid that she wouldn't come back to see him. "Besides, who else do I have to TICKLE?' Kella yells, tickling the little boy almost to death, his sides and tummy burning from the laughing. They say their good byes after that, Kella giving each of the kids a big hug, it always made them feel better. Her too.

""

"Aja." Elder Rhd snaps the group out of their daze after watching the scene. Aja was smiling largely under his mask. '_She is so beautiful and so good with pups…_' Aja thought before turning his attention to his father. "Do one last sweep of the area, then head back to the DropShip. We will have to talk with the other leaders to see what we can come up with as to where the Bad Blood is."

"Yes father." Aja bows his head and he and his group go off to do one last run around.

"I don't understand what all the talk is of." Jed says to the remaining hunters. "Granted that was impressive, but that does not merit the mark of Protection."

"Well, I am glad it is my call as to who receives it, for I know that if I hadn't and word got out of Kella, then she would have met the Black Warrior for the first time, and not me for the second." Elder Rhd laughs.

"There are some who call for her gift to be taken from her." Pakka tells.

"I am thankful that just because they call for it," Bthm starts. "Does not mean their calls will be answered."

"You have not even met her!" Nth'ta growls at the other hunters obvious arrogance to Kella.

"They could meet her…" Elder Rhd says slyly. "Kella did invite us back to finish the bottle of C'ntlip. And she did just say she would be heading home when she was done her task."

"You cannot be serious that you want us to meet the Ooman." Nder hisses.

"One minute with her and you too will see she is not like any other Ooman." Bthm laughs. Reluctantly Jed, Nder and Pakka agree to meet this female. If only to get some of this fine C'ntlip Elder Rhd was going on about.

""

"I think the burner can take it." Uncle Shane tells his niece, motioning from the pack of drugs to the large incinerator for her to dispose of the backpack.

"Thanks." Kella sighs, throwing the bag in. She closes the door to the burner and smiles at the strange sounds the items make. Almost like they were screaming.

"Mercedes called here looking for you." Uncle Shane says. Kella asks to use his office to call her back as her best friend would only call here if it were an emergency. Kella walks down the stairs to the basement were all the really expensive and valuable items were, only to look past them and walk into the large office that held only a desk, a large leather chair, an antique from the olden days, and a few chairs for visiting buyers.

"You rang?" Kella says in a deep, funny tone.

"I know you have your duty and all but jeeze woman, you are hard to find!" Mercedes laughs.

"What's wrong?" Kella asks.

"Do you have any idea who you left with last night?" Mercedes responds.

"I thought this was an emergency…" She scolds her friend.

"This is!" Mercedes yells. "That male was Adam Becks. Do you have any idea who he is?"

"No. But he was good." Kella says coldly.

"Kella! Adam Becks is the guy from Kana City who is here to run to be the next governor of Acropolis."

"I beg your pardon." Kella says after a held in gasp.

"Come on! It has been in the papers for weeks. Jonathon Harper can't be governor any longer, and I know that you won't run even though you would win."

"Don't even start!" Kella warns. She has had too many conversations with her and others about her becoming governor of Acropolis. It wasn't her place.

"I'm not, I'm just saying that Adam Becks moved here from Kana City to attempt to be elected as he just ended his run there as assistant governor. But c'jit Kella, you mated with him!"

"I know I was there…" She says glumly.

"What's wrong?" Mercedes asks worried. "Is this about Aja?" She says carefully.

"Yeah." Kella says softly. "He was watching us mate." Holding in her tears, Kella takes a tissue to keep from crying.

"That's just creepy." Mercedes tells her strongly.

"Not really considering what he is. It's in his nature." Kella defends, trying to tell herself not to inform her best friend about the Yautja, about her Aja but maybe it was time.

"In his nature? What the hell? What is he? Yautja or something?" Mercedes starts to laugh hysterically. But she soon stops as she doesn't hear Kella laughing. "Oh your c'jit'in me!"

"His name is not the only thing that's Yautja…" Kella quietly tells her best friend.

"Alright, from the beginning…" And so for the next ten minutes, Kella told her best friend about meeting Elder Rhd and everything. And Mercedes, as Kella expected, ordered her to describe them all. Even Aja. "You really like him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. That old woman was right." Kella sighs and sits back in the comfy chair. "In mid thought I stop to think of him. It's so strange." Just then, her Uncle Shane comes in with clients on his tail. "C'jit. Mercedes I will call you back when I get home, we have clients here." They were quick to end their conversation just as a few clients stole in.

"Ah, Caretaker Kella, it is good to see you. Yes?" A small Asian man with black hair tipped with white bows to her.

"It is good to see you as well Mr. Ziao." Kella bows back graciously. "I am sorry I cannot stay for the meeting, I have a previous engagement." After greeting the other two persons, Kella quickly made her way home.

"Ken, contact Mercedes." Kella yells to Ken as she walks into her house and in an instant she and her best friend were back to their conversations.

"So you're telling me, truthfully, that you had four Yautja in your bedroom?" Mercedes laughs.

"It wasn't like that!" Kella defends, taking off her shoes as she goes into her house and into the kitchen to grab a drink. "I mean, I was stupid and stepped on that dammed street again. It was my fault." She says while she walks down the hall to her society room so she can sit on some pillows and rest from the day, a large glass of freezing water in hand. "I did get to meet ELDER RHD!" Kella yells and stops as her eyes and mind registers the sight of Elder Rhd, Bthm, Nth'ta and three others she did not know of sitting once more at her low table. "Mercedes, I have to go. Can I call you later?" Kella says as calmly as possible.

"What? No way! You do not call me back after making me wait and then tell me to go away! I want to talk about these Yautja!" Before Kella could tell her friend that she REALLY needed to go, she said something more then odd. "I mean, I love the name Bthm. Bath Him." Mercedes laughs out loud. "If he needs it I will offer to bath him." Within one second, every Yautja in the room, with the exception of Bthm of course, explodes into laughter. One of the unknown was even patting Bthm on the back. "What the hell was that? Sounded like…oh gods…" Then there was a soft beep sound, telling Kella that her best friend had smartly hung up the COM. Kella lowers her head, takes a deep breath and tries so hard not to laugh along with the others.

"I apologize, Bthm." Kella says after a moment. "That was uncalled for by my good friend."

"That's all right!" Elder Rhd laughs. "Seems you have a fan." He slaps Bthm on the back, who only shakes his head in disbelief.

"So this is the Protected female." Nder says in Yautja, not really liking the idea of talking with an Ooman.

"May I introduce Kella, the Caretaker of the Alpha District." Elder Rhd stands up, and motions for Kella to sit, which she does gracefully and thankfully next to Elder Rhd and Nth'ta. "This is the Honored Pakka, Honored Nder and Honored Jed." They all nod their heads in greeting. Kella knew by the introductions that each of the hunters were in the honored class of the Yautja. And she could see it to. Each of their Awu'asa covered in marks, telling all who look of their battles.

"It is an honor to meet you." Kella bows her head. "May I offer you anything, I still have an unfinished bottle of C'ntlip that I have to chance of finishing myself." She smiles up to Elder Rhd. Taking a moment to answer, Elder Rhd does something that he hadn't thought to do yet. Going through his spectrums, he looks deep into Kellas body and makes discovery.

"Why did you make a big thing of me killing you before you could bare children, and then now that you are of age, I can see that you do not show signs of having a child?" Unconsciously, Kella places her hand over her lower stomach, a futile attempt to keep him from looking IN her.

"That is the most awkward thing anyone has ever said to me." Kella says seriously but sarcastically. The others, along with Elder Rhd, laugh at her words. "And I have to say I feel a little uncomfortable that you can see my insides."

"We can see more then just that." Nth'ta laughs.

"Is that meant to make me feel better?" Kella tries to hide her laugh as well but was failing horribly. In the next moment, Elder Rhd and the others take off their masks to make her feel a little safer. It was rather unsettling to be sitting with beings that could see through you.

"I will fetch the drinks then, but I will need help as there are more glasses to carry." Kella says as she stands. "Bthm, would you assist me?" She asks plainly. And without another word, she and the Yautja leave the room and he follows her into her kitchen. "I feel I must apologize once more for my friend's words." She says with a low bow of her head.

"Do not be embarrassed of another words or actions." Bthms deep voice resounds in Kellas bones. "But I think I will be hearing of this for many seasons to come." He laughs, his mandibles clattering together. It was then that Kella really noted Bthm as a whole. His skin looked like a leopards, a smoldering yellow as a base with light and dark brown spots. His body was, as every other Yautja, marked beautifully with scars but it was hard to see him through his trophy heavy Awu'asa.

"And my friend will also never hear the end of this." Kella laughs, gathering the small glasses as she talks. She then asks Bthm to get the C'ntlip from the large refrigerator but when he did, he begins to pick at all the food she had. In the end, Kella completed the drink of C'ntlip with a large bowl of fruit with grapes, kiwis, apples, pears, plumbs…every thing in her refrigerator to be exact that Bthm said they would eat happily. Adding that if she were to serve the meat, she would be completely out of food. Kella made him carry the bowl as it was a lot heaver as it was full to the lip with food.

"So you are actually going to serve us?" Jed finally talks to Kella.

"It would be my pleasure to." She smiles at the very large Yautja male, who was funnily snuggled up with one of her largest pillows-if you should use the word 'snuggled' and 'Yautja' in the same sentence- and seemed happy with the food brought out as well.

"What is this?" Pakka asks, holding up a small brown, furry thing.

"That is a Kiwi." Kella laughs.

"Khe whee…" Pakka tries.

"It is meant to be" Before she could finish, Pakka plops the small fruit through his long teeth and into he throat, only to squish it with his powerful muscles and have more then a few spurts of juice come from his mouth, enticing rolling laugher from all around. "cut from the surrounding skin…" Kella ends her sentence. Pakka just shrugs his shoulders and says it was very tasty.

"Shame old Aja couldn't be here." Nth'ta laughs.

"'Old' Aja? Ajas old?" Kella asks before she could stop herself.

"Aja is my first born." Elder Rhd explains, dripping a drop of C'ntlip every now and then. "He is in all, by our seasons, sixty-eight. So by your years…"

"One hundred and seventy." Kella gasps. But she caught her self fast and thought of something else to talk of. "So if he is sixty-eight then you are ninety-three. If you mated right after your Chiva at the age of twenty-five."

"Oh, now that's just rude." Elder Rhd hisses playfully at the funny female.

"And looking at my insides without permission was not?" Kella looks up at him with a smile.

"We are even then?" Elder Rhd laughs.

"We are." She giggles.

"But I do suppose Aja should be here, he was among us in the beginning and so should share in the drink." Elder Rhd says. He then uses the COM from his mask, after he replaced it, to contact his son. With all her might, Kella kept her heart beat low. Trying not to show that she was excited about Aja coming, but it wasn't just that. She was nervous beyond anything she had ever felt. After a moment or two, giving Kella time to pour and serve the drinks, Elder Rhd takes off his mask and tells the table that Aja and the other four in his group will be at her dwelling shortly. And at that note, Kella asked that they help her extend the table with things called 'leafs' to allow the added Yautja to sit. Once that simple deed was done, with the strength of the Yautja of course, they sat down once more to relax before they arrived.

"I do not know what you see in her Elder Rhd." Nder finally speaks, purposely in Ooman so the female would understand.

"He saw 40 meters of intestine, 1 heart, 1 liver, 2 kidneys, 2 lungs, and a lot of red stuff." Kella answers steadily and strongly. And even Nder couldn't hold back a laugh. "And my inner reproductive organs as well I suppose." She pokes fun at the Elder sitting beside her.

"You were witness to her deeds this morning, Nder." Nth'ta says then turns to Kella. "It is fated by Paya that we come across you. We are hunting a Bad Blood and along the way, we came across you playing with young Oomans."

"And then beat a large male." Pakka says quickly. For a moment Kella was stunned, maybe that feeling she had of Aja watching her was the real one?

"That male I beat was a person who sells drugs to others, even children. And I will forever try to stop it, when I can." Kella answers bluntly.

"But you 'not a pauk-de hero.'" A different yet familiar voice suddenly appears along with five other Yautja in her society room. Kella twists her head to the room entrance to find Aja, in all his handsome glory, with four others behind him. "You did not finish the bottle without me, now did you father?"

"Most definitely not, I don't think." Elder Rhd laughs, making a funny face to Kella who giggles.

"We made room for you with 'leafs'." Bthm thrills and motions to the others to sit. Once they were all down, it ended with Kella still between Elder Rhd and Nth'ta, Pakka directly across from her, and Aja all the way down at the end. But it was a good thing, for if they were closer together…they didn't really want to think of what would happen.

"I feel I must be the first to say this!" Nder thrills and looks to the new males. "Bthm has an Ooman admirer named Mercedes. She had said 'I love the name Bthm. Bath Him. If he needs it I will offer to bath him.'" Bthm lowers his head as everyone once again laughs at the funny situation.

"I think we need another bottle of C'ntlip, I saw another in that cold box in your kitchen, may I?" Bthm asks expertly and Kella kindly allows him to leave the room to fetch the other bottle that he saw.

"It is not aged as this one, but still very wonderful." Kella smiles and looks to the new faces who she was soon introduced to. "So, you are here early to hunt a Bad Blood? In Acropolis?" She starts the conversation once Bthm was back.

"He had come here without authorization. Killed and skinned a male dishonorably, and is to be hunted for the crime." Aja answers, making his Kella finally look at him. When their eyes met, time stopped. It was as if their eyes had a secret conversation, one in which they each told the other not to speak of their added encounters. "But it is a welcome brake to sit and drink." He raises his glass, followed by everyone else but in Kellas she had nothing but orange juice, and they drink the amber liquid.

"Oomans I see are well off." Pakka starts. "The take over was very easy for them I suppose." While the others laugh, Kella was silent.

"If you will excuse me, I must get something." The whole table stands as she does and she leaves the room to get something rather important.

"I feel I must congratulate you and Kella." Elder Rhd directs to his son. "Last time I was sure you were ready to attack her." He laughs. Aja was just his silent self once more. Just then, Kella came back into the room with a very large book. She walks to her spot, places the book onto the table then slides it to the middle.

"That book contains over one thousand accounts of the happenings of the take over, from when it started, to when there was peace. That book holds letters to families, poems from someone's soul, ramblings of someone who had only a pen and paper to listen, police accounts of the days, death reports of the lives lost, pictures of the lives lost, names of those both found dead and of those not found at all. I beg of you not to see what happened to us was 'very easy.' I beg of you, for it was nothing close to easy." Kella pauses and looks at every single Yautja in the room. "While it may have seemed like we came out alright, which I believe we did with your assistance, the struggle was there. And is still here. Every day I walk the streets of the Alpha District to keep all the bad things this world truly is, out. To keep the children safe as they walk to school. To make sure that the drugs stay away from their systems. To be sure that no other child is as stupid as me to step over the boundaries, as we are only property. Only pray. I did a very stupid thing by traveling on the 'M-di H'chak' and I will, until the day I die, keep others from making the same mistake. But I beg of you to never see the turmoil, the chaos, the suffering, the anguish, the misery felt by the Oomans as easy." She stops again, looking right into Elder Rhds eyes as he was looking down at hers. Both holding no anger, no resentment, just understanding.

"Now I see what you see in her." Nder says softly. After another moment, Kella takes back the book and slips it under the table.

"Shame that I ended the wonderful conversations of Bthms fan, Elder Rhds age and my childless state…" She sarcastically sighs.

"Do not forget about the Kiwi!" Pakka exclaims, making those who were witness laugh once more. All the Yautja sitting, and even Kella, knew that there was always a time to be serious. A time for business, and they just had a very serious one. But with her words, Kella gained the respect of every Yautja there, for her strength of word and even for her empathy for her fellow Oomans.

"Ke we?" Aja asks, apprehensively. Pakka then silently tosses one to Aja who gives him a quizzical stare. "You wish to me to eat this?" He asks, motioning to the small thing in his hand.

"Not you specifically." Pakka says calmly.

"I will try." A younger male says and Aja was quick to pass it to him. Kella, wanting to see what was going to happen, had to lean on the table some to watch. But Aja was watching her and not the male. He was however taken from his Kella when a strange sound of something bursting hits the air and Aja turns his eyes just in time to see jets of water come from the younger males mouth and onto the table.

"See, Kiwi." Pakka thrills in laughter, soon followed by everyone else.

"You would probably get the same thing from the plum, but it has a rather large pit in it, you may have to take it out before you eat it." Kella explains.

"I have had these plumbs before." Elder Rhd tells, picking one from the bowl. "And the pits are not match for the muscle in our throats, they simply brake." He says, then shows her with a demonstration.

"There are many wonderful things on this planet." Jed begins. "I find some of the scenery most pleasing to my eyes."

"Where else have you been?" Kella asks, intrigued as Oomans are rarely allowed to travel vast distances without due cause.

"I have been to every continent." Jed answers.

"We travel all over this world." Aja says softly, emotionlessly. "But I find it more boring then pleasing."

"Boring?" Kella says, almost insulted. "Then you have not been looking in the right places." She says bluntly. Aja turns to her slowly, his eyes half lidded.

"There are many beautiful places here, even some which look like the Homeworld." Elder Rhd say quickly, hoping to keep his son and the Protected female from fighting.

"But the one thing I find lacking is your sun, or lack of suns." Bthm adds.

"Suns?" Kella asks confused.

"On our Homeworld," Aja began. "There are two suns, they are together as a couple. The symbol of Paya and Cetanu. This solar system has only one sun, there are no ways to see it with beauty."

"Again, you have not been looking in the right places. This world has much to offer that I am afraid I will not see. But that is the world for me. But I would love to hear of your stories, Jed." Kella turns from her Aja and to the other male. "Tell me of what you have seen.

For the next two hours or so, the group talked of the many different things on Kellas planet, but they soon went to other planets as well. Aja was captivated at how fascinated Kella was in the subject. But in truth she was only mildly interested. She did find it astonishing of the many worlds the Yautja had in their territory. And that they were able to name all of them, both with their own names and, if the planet had intelligent occupants, the natives name. It was amazing. But Kella was truly trying not to stare at Aja. He had with the others taken off his black mask, revealing his stunning scars to her. His skin, with the honey gold, brown and white speckles, was so alluring. Even his large tusks were stunning to Kella, especially when he smiled. His bottom pair rising to cover his mouth and his top pair flaring out, it made her stomach tingle when ever she saw it. Some how during their time, a few of the younger males discovered Kellas refrigerator, and lets just say that she has to go grocery shopping. Never in her life had seen eleven male, Ooman or Yautja, able to eat out an entire refrigerator of food. They even ate her eggs whole, until she told them that the shell is not meant to be eaten. So, with their sharp claws, made a hole in the white covering and poured the gooey food into their mouths. By the end of it however, all the Yautja in the room had a full stomach of food and great C'ntlip. And even the ones Kella had just met that day had taken a liking to her. They had the same comfort with Kella as Elder Rhd did, it was spectacular. And a tad frightening but at least everyone was having a good time. It was mid afternoon when Elder Rhd received a COM, and after that, he told the group that they had to leave as the other groups, who were not lazing around drinking and eating, had found a trail and that they should investigate. But they all said, 'not yet!' so they stayed for a little longer. And with the added time, Kella had an idea.

"Have you ever had chocolate?" She asks the table. But all she got in return were blank stares. "Chocolate is a sweet food, very tasty. But I'm not sure what would happen to you if you ate it."

"We can handle it." Bthm laughs. With a smile, Kella stands up but tells them not to stand with her, that it was just weird. But as she left, Kella grabs the empty bottles of C'ntlip, as they had finished it all, and goes to her kitchen. The Yautja at the table were just about to start up the conversation once more, when they hear the sound of glass braking. Instantly they stood up, thinking something was wrong, but everything was fine, Kella yelled that she had just dropped a bottle.

"Seems that female always does something to make herself bleed in my presence." Aja sighs. "I will go make sure it does not happen again." He hisses, faking anger to fir fellow hunters. But he was actually beyond excited at his genius, it was true that Kella had a problem with bleeding with him around, and he was in fact worried. But he wouldn't tell the others everything. Grunting harshly, Aja stands tall and walks into the kitchen to find that Kella already cleaned the mess. "For a moment I thought I would I have been smelling even more of your blood." He says very softly, as so the others wouldn't hear him. But Kella sure did. She was just putting the shards of glass into the garbage when his soothing, deep voice hit her ears. Kella twists around fast and stares wide eyed at Aja as he was standing at the edge of her whites counters, a funny smirk on for his words.

"This coming from the one who made me bleed as I did." Kella says in a shuddered breath. "I just dropped it, no harm was done." She smiles at him.

"You say I have not been looking in the right places, to see the true beauty of this world. What do you think I could see?" Aja takes a step closer to her.

"For one thing, my sun is not boring. I don't think you have found the right spot to witness it. For instance if you had ever seen a sun set, I think that would change your mind set." Kella whispers, already feeling her heart race and breath quicken.

"Oh…Would you show me one of your sunsets then? To prove that this planet does have…something…beautiful to offer." Aja smiles devilishly.

"I could show you." Kella tries to slow her breathing by taken one big deep breath, but in that she smells Ajas subtle scent. It was strong, masculine and so calming. So powerful and protective. But it was truly taking everything Aja had not to pump out his arousal musk, just yet… "There should be a wonderful one tonight. But…" Kella didn't know what to say.

"Take this." Aja says before she could say another word. He lifts open a small flap on his belt and places a small black device, that was no bigger then a ring, on to the counter top. "Tonight, just before sunset, go to where ever it is you think I can see this supposed beautiful scene and press down on the top. It is a homing beckon, and once you press it, I will know where you and I will be there within minutes…" He whispers. Silently, Kella takes the small thing and places in one of her own pockets. "And I think you should take this." Aja laughs, this time loud enough for the others to hear. But when he lifts his hand, Kella gasps loudly at the sight of her necklace.

"YOU HAVE IT!" She yells. "I thought I lost it when you ripped it from my neck!" Kella says angry, she really thought it was gone forever. But what amazed Aja, was that she didn't take it back. She only grunts and takes the metal box that was sitting on the ledge and walks into the society room, leaving him behind.

"What's all the yelling?" Elder Rhd laughs, amazed that she as even coming out alive!

"Your son, as he was chasing me and when he scratched my back," Kella began as she walks to her spot, Aja not to far behind with a wicked grin. "Had caught hold of a piece of jewelry of mine. And thought that now was the appropriate time to give it back!" She huffs, placing the metal box in front of her as she sat down. When Aja sat however, he replaced her charm back into his belt pouch, it was his now.

"How are you healing?" Aja bellows.

"Just fine." Kella growls. She then silently opens the metal box of chocolates and as the aroma of the contents hit the air, every single Yautja opens their mandibles wide, takes a deep breath and groans at the new scent. "This is chocolate." She says laughing and places a single piece of her favorite candy in front of eat hunter. "Now, just place it in your mouth but don't squish it or anything, just let it sit and let it melt." She says softy, and that what they all did.

Then there was complete and utter silence. Each Yautja just sat there while they allowed the strange but delectable taste of this chocolate run down their throats. Kella, amazed at the scene, rests her chin on her hands against the table to watch. This was a strange sight indeed. Each of their faces were so peaceful, content and calm.

"I guess you like it?" Kella whispers, and all she gets are soundless nods in affirmation. To make sure they didn't eat it all, Kella closes the metal box, and rests it on her lap so no one could tear it away to gorge themselves.

"On that note I think it is time for us to leave." Elder Rhd says softly. "But now that you have offered this chocolate, I will once again be returning to enjoy this treat." When he said his words, all the other Yautja agreed with him, saying that they to would be coming back.

"I will make you a deal, give me a few days to restock well…everything, and then I formally invite you all to diner. But I ask that you warn me of when you will be coming, and if you are to have anymore accompanying you." Kella exclaims. "Because these things I have shown you are only a few delicacies of this Ooman world you own." Kella smiles to them all.

"We will give you sufficient warning." Elder Rhd laughs as he stands, signaling the others to as well. Just as last time, Kella lead them all to the door and once outside, they all turned back to her and bow for her hospitality. But once again, Nth'ta made an observation.

"I believe that Kella has won the bet." Nth'ta laughs, pointing across the way. And as all their heads turn, they were met with a large bytte, with many Ooman filling it with their house hold items.

"I only guessed they would move away from you visiting me by the end of the cycle. But I guess with eleven hunters and not four has made them go faster." Kella chuckles at watching her neighbors packing a mobbing bytte to move away from her. "So yes indeed Elder Rhd, you owe me a bottle of C'ntlip." Kella smiles warmly at him.

"I tell you what, at this dinner of ours, I will bring some for all. Then one for your specially." He laughs. "I thank you once more, Caretaker Kella." Then he and the others bow once more to her, making Kella blush a little, something Aja did not miss. And then one by one each hunter cloaked. Before Aja did however, Kella looks to him and they give each other a slight nod. Then they were gone.

Now all Kella had to do was figure out what in the great womb of Paya she was going to wear!

Authors Note: Hey shortestwarrior, I did that one part just for you. It is exactly like your review! I thought it was so funny that I made that scene just for you! I hope you liked it. (It was the scene with Mercedes saying she would like to bath Bthm if not everyone knows what I am talking of)

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell (no nothing the really bad will happen, don't worry!), Oak Tree Woman, and Sky66.

On aff .net: shortestwarrior, Muse of Scrolls, Death God Dist, chancelor22, Cara, Astaral reaper (I was thinking about that, but it was so fast for them to be together, or to even talk of what's going on but thanks for the suggestion).

To Death God Dist, I just have to say once more that your words honor me.

To Caras review that said 'Interesting, the part about religion and Paya. So there's Paya the female counterpart and Cetanu, the male? Just like in Wicca. So did the Yautja create the humans..?': I am not familiar with Wicca, but I will in fact be writing 'The Story of Creation' for my readers, and it will be connected to both this story and 'Ripple', it will work for both. But as a clue to what's coming, it is of how Paya and Cetanu were the first male and female to mate and how they came together to create the universe. So if that is like Wicca, then yes. It not, then no. But the Yautja did not create the Oomans, but I can see how it was confusing. Lets see if I can say this right… If Paya didn't want the Creator Species to create the Ooman species, then she would have stopped them. But since she didn't, she wanted the Oomans to be created. Do you see how it works? If not email me at vipershock hotmail .com. I'll be glad to answer any questions.

E.M.


	7. The night of?

The History of Tomorrow

The night of...?

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

Kella was in and out of the shower so fast that the water didn't even know what happened. She did make dam sure to scrub every part of her and wash her hair with unscented cream. Nothing irritates a Yautja nose like phony scents. They can tell it is not true to a being and Kella usually wasn't one to wear any kind of perfume. Once she was out of the shower, she was quick to dry off her body and then her hair straight with her customary waves she just couldn't get out. But that's alright. She was going to watch the sun set with her Aja. Life was good. But then the biggest problem came up as she dressed. She had placed on a white long sleeve turtle neck shirt that had the back wide open from the base of her neck down so Aja could see the contours of her back and those dammed wounds. Just to rub it in his face. And she then put on a wide knee length loin cloth, it was getting rather chilly out. But her big problem…underwear vs. no underwear. Holding the white pair of panties by the waist band, Kellas face grimaces at her own thoughts.

"He knows that I want him. I know I want him. Do I know if he wants me?" Kella whispers to herself. She really couldn't decide. "He wouldn't have arranged this if he didn't… but just to be sure underwear!" She says, throwing the panties on.

It took a little convincing but her Uncle Shane once again lent his bytte to Kella after many agonizing minutes of begging on her part. He could tell she was excited about something but couldn't figure what it was. Despite the fact he rarely ever knew what was going on with her, he trusted her enough to know that she was in her right mind and wouldn't do anything stupid…he hoped. Kella on the other hand didn't know if she was in hr right mind! She had gone faster then she ever had in that bytte, on her way back to the shop in the country so she could set up her favorite spot high in the trees. It was a big enough space from her Aja to sit, with more then enough room for her as well. And it was perfect for viewing the sunsets.

"" "" "" ""

"Aja, your mind wonders." Elder Rhd says to his son and second in power. It was an unusual thing to find Aja in the society room, let alone in there alone. It had been an unproductive day by hunting standards. The Bad Blood still at large and even with fifty of the best hunters and even Elder Rhd, the Yautja was still free.

"Father." Aja couldn't muster anything else. His mind truly was wondering. Even as Elder Rhd sat down by his son, Aja was thinking of nothing but his Kella. Should he have given her the tracking device so he could meet with her? Should he have even followed her into the room in her house to talk to her? What is going to happen tonight? What will she smell like? What will she look like? How will they sit and watch the Ooman sun fall while he knows that she desires him?

"The Bad Blood will be caught my son." Elder Rhd finally gets in.

"I am sure of that." Aja says coldly. "I think I may venture alone tonight to see if I can find something." He says, finding the perfect excuse for leaving the ship.

"It might do us well." Elder Rhd sighs. "But I have some good news." He chuckles. "The news that the Protected female is holding a dinner has gone around the ship and now almost all are demanding on attending."

"What?" Aja blurts.

"I believe I must go back to Kella to tell her of how many are going to be coming."

"And just how many insisted on going?" Aja almost hisses, worried now that his father may go searching for Kella to find him and her together.

"I am only allowing the fifty hunters that are with us to go. Myself. And…"

"And? And who?" Aja says angrily.

"I have personally invited the other Elders of our clan and our Clan Leader."

"You did what?" Aja yells, standing tall among the pillows.

"There is something you do not know Aja. Something you don't need to now right now. But something I think the Elders of our clan should know." Elder Rhd says calming, then slowly ushers his son back down to sit.

"If it is important father then I should know." He says coolly to his father. But Elder Rhd just sighs heavily.

"Do you remember, long ago, when I told you of how you came to have your name?" Elder Rhd asks off topic.

"I am named after one of your trainers. The Beta of a war ship during the great war." He says confused.

"My instructor Aja was who I named you after, but it is the Alpha of that war ship that is causing me to call for the Elders and Clan Leader."

"You speak of Her?" Aja gasps.

"Yes son, I do. She also trained me, She most of all."

"How would She influence you now, after She has been gone all these seasons, after the war and the time?"

"Because Kella reminds me of that Yautja." Elder Rhd says bluntly. Aja was stunned to even speak now. The Alpha his father speaks of was one to rival the Gods. She was even blessed by Paya and Cetanu. "But enough of that for now. I must find Kella to tell her." Elder Rhd grunts as he stands.

"Father wait!" Aja also roars. "Kella has already seen us today, the Oomans around her have already moved from her vicinity, perhaps we should give the female time to adjust." It took a minute, but Elder Rhd agreed that he would find her the next day. After his father has left, Aja was fast in getting to his room to ready himself. While it was close to evening in the Ooman world, he knew he still had time. And after a pleasing bath, Aja adorns his semi-formal armor. While his Awu'asa was meant for hunting, his semi-formal was for occasions that were important, but not so to wear his ceremonial. With a knee length loincloth linked together with Hard Meat bone, all else Aja had on was his body net, a thin chest plate to guard his heart, shin guards, and his mask. It was very light compared to his other armor and Aja hoped Kella would like it. Even he was fond of the subtle pictures of Hard Meat that were sporadically engraved on his armor. Aja was just about to do his third check to see if everything was in place when his wrist computer begins to beep, signaling that Kella had pressed the small device he had given her. Faster then he could understand, Aja programmed his wrist computer to show where she was and to his shock she was well outside the city. It would take some time for him to get there on feet. Right then and there Aja decides to take one of the onboard jumpers for only one hunter. It was quite like a bytte but much smaller and less equipped. But it would get him to his Kella faster.

"" "" "" ""

Kella was nervously leaning against her giant tree waiting for him. It had been at least ten minutes and she was getting a little worried. Not only did she think that he would miss the sunset, but what if he didn't want to show up? What if this was all a joke that Aja just wanted to prove a point that Bthm was not the only one with an Ooman admirer? What if he didn't like her? What if he was just sitting on that DropShip, smiling to himself when she signaled for him, thinking that she was just a stupid Ooman for thinking that he would come to her? That he would have any interest in her? Her suspicions were destroyed however when an unnatural rustling in the trees startles her form her horrid thoughts. Kella begins to search the dense trees for anyone or anything, but nothing caught her eye. Sighing heavily, she looks to the ground and wonders where he is.

"Did you think I would not show?" A deep thrilling voice comes from everywhere, making both Kellas body and heart jump suddenly. All Aja could do was laugh at her.

"Don't laugh at me." Kella says angrily but with a large smile.

"How can I take you seriously when you smile like that?" He laughs even more as he sat cloaked on a tree just to her left. He had been there for a few minutes and loved that his Kella was becoming visibly distraught that he was not by her side yet.

"How can I talk to you and not see your smile?" Kella says smugly. She had him on that one. The crackling of his cloak told Kella where he was, she couldn't not pant deeply at the scene. Her Aja was crouched on a large limb, wearing a lot less then he ever did but still armored. Although, Kella could see a lot more and it was beautiful. Before she could stare any longer, Aja jumps down from the tree and stands at his full height.

"How do you even know if I am smiling?" Aja laughs, slowly making his way closer to her relishing in the sound of her heart beating wildly, his heart however was even faster.

"You forget that I have had many Yautja in my house and I have been able to see the differences. But all I can see from you is metal." Kella shutters in a breath, wanting to see his face again. Aja did not miss her needs and he took off his mask, latching it to his side. Kella bites her lower lip as she sees those scars again and Aja smiled at the gesture. "See, you smiled." She says sweetly.

"The sun has reached the horizon." Aja points east to the sight of the Ooman sun just reaching the line of land. "It will soon be over the hills, where is it you think I can see such a great thing?" Kella didn't answer at first. She just smiles sweetly, smugly, then suddenly points upwards. Aja follows her clawless hands up to the top of what had to be the largest tree in the forest and with his eyes he sees a clearly visible spot where they were to sit.

"You just need to climb up to it." Kella laughs as she turns her back to him and then, using the small holes, starts to ascend the tree up to her –their- spot. Aja just stood there for a moment, watching her climb until she was a quarter ways there when the most devilish idea came to him. Smiling to himself as he strides to the tree truck, Aja uses his claws to dig into the relatively soft wood. If Aja had only been a few feet to the right, he would have had another great veiw, but alas Aja was too quick to even notice in order to do his own show-and-see. Once Aja was close enough to his Kella, he takes one giant stride to the right, making his whole body cover hers. But at feeling him there, Kella stops, eyes wide and her heart beating so strong, so fast that she was sure he cold hear it. And he could. Slowly pushing his chest into her back, Aja moves his face to one ear but rests it there for a moment, letting her hear his ragged breathing. But he also lingered there because he could smell her hair, her skin…

"You're slow." Aja purrs into her ear, making her whole body shiver. Before Kella could get another breath in, he starts to climb over her, his claws making a sickening crunch with his every move. Kella however wouldn't let that little comment go.

"Well, it's not like I have long…" Kellas breath was ripped from her as she looked up to her Aja, only to see 'little Aja' who wasn't so little. "…thick…big…" Ajas head snaps downwards to her. "CLAWS!" Kella yells, taking her eyes from 'him' and to the tree and resting her forehead against it. Aja just had to smile. She gave him a look-see when he chased her. Debt repaid. Kellas mouth was open in a silent squeal, she had no idea Yautja males were so endowed! No male she ever mated with was that large. But then again, she was at an odd angle so it may have made it look bigger then it was…but hopefully not.

"It is beautiful." Aja says suddenly. He had continued up the tree while his Kella tried to process what he had shown her. But the sight before him actually stunned him. The white puffs that were usually their normal color had taken on hues of reds, pinks and even purples, it was a beautiful sight. The large limb that had a think piece of fabric was covering the flat surfaced, making it rather comfortable. Without another thought, Aja sits down and rests his back against the tree, one leg bent so his arm could rest on it and the other straight out, this was really comfortable. Just then his Kella came up on the spot and quickly made her way in front of him, mumbling that he had to take the best spot. Although Kella didn't really mind, she was content in sitting in front of him to watch the sun set. Because it was fall, the sky was particularly colorful and even she was quiet at the sight. As the sun began to fall behind the hills, its light shinning across the large lake the rested just a few meters from the tree, the two were completely silent. But as the sun finally hide itself, both souls in the tree sigh. It remained rather light however, the suns ray still casting over the lands. It was only then that Aja at last looked to Kellas back. Her spine was marvelously indented into her body, curving her wonderfully and to add to her magnificence were the marks he gave her at the small of her back. Just as he took in a breath to speak to his Kella, something hits Aja on the right of his face softly but surprisingly. It was something small, only covering from his eye to his top mandible but it was alive.

"Kella…" Aja almost whisper. "What's on my face?" He asks calmly.

"You seriously want me to answer that?" Kella bursts laughing.

"KELLA!" He practically roars. Sighing lightly, Kella turns her head over her left shoulder to look at him, but doesn't see anything.

"I don't think anything on you." She smiles at him, making something in Aja warm deep inside of him.

"On the other side." He says calmly and when Kella turn to see his right side, she couldn't help but giggle a little.

"It's a dragonfly." She laughs. Kella gets up onto her knees and starts to slowly crawl to him. Once she could really see it, Kella bites her lip in trepidation as she tried to figure out how to get it off of him. "I have to uhh…umm, get on your legs to get it off. It won't go by itself but I need to be closer…" Aja just nods to her slightly. He didn't like the sound of this 'dragonfly'. Perhaps it was poisonous and if he jostled it to much it could sting him, and then he wouldn't be here with his Kella any longer. Taking a trembling breath, Kella moves her body so she was straddling his legs, hers on either side of his and it was a stretch for her. But Kella had her task and went right to it, slowly placing a hand in front of the dragonfly while poking its back tail to make it move forward onto her. But as her hand rested against her Ajas face, she could feel the muscle beneath it clench and tighten. Not only that, but his skin was a little tickly. It wasn't as rough or as hard as she expected, it was only those few newly forming strands of his black tresses that were prodding her skin. But soon the dragonfly was on her hand and Kella brings it in front of her. "It's just a dragonfly. They become active just after sunset…" Unconsciously, Kella licks her lips before blowing on the tail of the dragonfly, making it swiftly fly away, her eyes following it to a distance. But when her eyes go back to her Ajas, Kella stares in aw as he was looking only at her. He didn't even look at the small life in her hands, he was only looking at her. But now that Kella was watching him just as intently, Aja knew that it was now or never. He had her on him, his Kella was on his lap, he had to do something! Taking up his hands from his side, Aja slowly rakes them up from her knees and to her thighs, giving them a gentle squeeze one they were at the top of her legs. But that wonderful pressure, the friction of his aged hands made something in Kella heat up to almost unbearable, it made something in her tighten and she could instantly feel herself becoming aroused by his touch. Aja as well could tell her arousal, the sudden and unexpected explosion of such a wonderful scent made his head dizzy. Groaning loudly, Aja lets his head fall back onto the tree.

"Your scent…" Aja purrs. "Your scent is so strong." He couldn't hold it any longer, no mater how he tried Ajas mating musk begins to pump from his body. While some of his secretion seeped from behind his ears, which were located just to the sides of the eyes and just before the ridge of the cranium, most came from his groin. He only had his scent glands on his head so the taller of the female Yautja could smell him musk faster. But as that scent came to Kella, it was just like the scent she had from when he was in her kitchen but so much better. So strong and powerful and protective. But it was so thick she could almost taste it. It was so yummy. Unexpectedly every muscle in Kellas body relaxes, not knowing that it was what his musk was meant to do. Relax, arouse and stimulate. But as Kellas head falls onto her Ajas chest, she was oblivious to the effects. Aja on the other hand was a little worried, he didn't know what consequence to his Kella would come from his musk. But she seemed to like it. Kella, in an attempt to steady herself, places her hands on the warm chest under her. She raises herself up so her eyes were looking into his. Both eyes held the same desire, the same lust as the other and yet the same calm. Slowly Kella begins to caress her Ajas chest with her hands, a low rumble coming from deep in his lungs as a response. Her hands were so soft, so affectionately touching every muscle showing. Aja wasn't to far behind in squeezing her legs once more before he moved one hand up and over her backside and then, to Kellas displeasure, to her lower back. But she was soon whimpering softly and her Aja begins to slowly and agonizingly drag his rough hands up her exposed back, leaving hot trails of where his fingers once were. His hand soon came to her neck and Aja pulls her to him until his face was plunged into her neck. Leaning her head to give him more access, Kella couldn't stifle a moan as her Aja starts to use his mandibles to pinch, tug, nip and circle around the skin on her neck and shoulder.

"Ohh…" Kella moans with a desire laden voice as she feels something wet lick her neck. Turning her head to see what it was, her head buries into his tresses, enticing a very deep groan form Aja. Could she know how good it felt to have his locks touched at the height of arousal? How could she know that the slightest pressure to the back of a Yautja head can be used to calm them or entice them into ravenous periods mating? To be sure that he didn't do anything to stupid to fast, Aja moves his head away from her neck. She tasted so sweet to him, her sweat and arousal so wonderfully delicious! But as Aja lifts his head, he left his mandibles trail across her jaw line and around her chin. His Kellas lips were open and she was panting almost as heavily as he. Using his large tusks, Aja nips at her lips sensually, even pinching then between them but not so much to hurt her. Pushing herself into him, Kella puts her hands around his neck, thrusting her lips upwards into his and in an instant Aja impales her mouth with his long tongue, exploring her to no end. Breaking the kiss suddenly, Kellas face turns to a pained one and she rests her forehead against his chest once more.

"We can't do this…" Kella whispers.

"We can…" Aja purrs back. "But we shouldn't."

"But I want too…" She says softly, raising her head to his once more. Just as Aja was about to tell her he wanted to as well, his wrist computer startles them both as it beeps repeatedly.

"Someone is trying to contact me." Aja explains as he places on his mask. "Please be still Kella. They will know I am acting odd if I cannot control my breathing because you are near me." Kella pulls away from him a bit but does not get off of him. She gives him a large smile and a nod to tell that she will be quiet. "This is Aja." He says in Yautja.

"Aja." One of the other leaders of the group hunting the Bad Blood comes on the COM. "We have had a visual of the Bad Blood and are on a fresh trail, do you wish to company us?" Even with his mask on, Aja looks to his Kella with sadness. He had his job to do. No matter how much he wanted Kella right at that moment he is here to do a job.

"Yes, contact Elder Rhd and inform him and the other leaders." Their conversation went on for a few more minutes with the other leader telling Aja of their location. When they were done, he takes off his mask at looks at Kella was hardened eyes.

"You have to go." Kella says sorrowfully, her Aja just nods to him. All of the sudden Kella trust herself up to him, using his shoulders to keep her face level with him. "Come to me tonight." She almost orders. Aja however just tilts his head and thrills at the offer, smiling at the idea. "Come to my home tonight, whenever you are done just come to me. Please." She pleads now, her voice going sounding desperate. But Aja didn't answer. He knew that he was going to go to her when he was done, no matter what. Kella however was a little afraid that maybe this was the one and only time this would happen. But just as her thought began to drift into the bad, Aja seizes her waist and pulls her against him and with one arm holds her to him and he starts to climb down the tree gracefully until they were once more on the ground. But instead of placing his Kella on the ground, Aja presses her into the tree with his body, both of the groaning at the wonderful pressure.

"I will come to you." Aja purrs into her ear.

"Promise me?" She whispers back.

"I promise." He moves his head from her side to gently run his mandibles over her lips once more. And then Aja moves with an open mouth over to her neck to take one more deep breath of her scent, persuading a very loud rumble from him. Kella couldn't help but giggle at the sensation of his skin vibrating on hers, it was stimulating to say the least. Before they knew it both their bodies were a few feet apart and Aja had his mask on. "I promise." He says once more and then he was off. Or so she thought. Just when Kella was about to move off the tree and to the bytte, Ajas strong hands held her back to the tree. "Do you promise to be there?" He growls. All Kella could do was smile at him. She places her hands over his that her on her shoulders and grasps them tightly.

"I promise." Kella say strongly. Aja then slips his hand from under hers and lets the slowly glide down her body, his fingers gently touching the sides of her breasts as they fell until they were at her hip. Once they were however, he suddenly grasps her hips painfully and tugs at them, forcing her to thrust into his body. With a long purr, Aja slowly releases her from his grip and walks away without looking back. But oh how he wanted to look back at her.

"" "" "" ""

Once again Aja had to sneak into the DropShip through the back way so no one would smell his musk and Kellas luscious scent. All the way back he had hand his hand at his mouth, smelling it over and over to scent her again. And so he solemnly washed himself completely of any lingering aroma and was fast in placing on his Awu'asa. He had made it just in time as the large group of hunters was just about to the ship. His father had poked fun at his tardiness but Aja was his silent self once more, his thoughts on his Kella and the night to come. But as he and the others met with the group who had seen the Bad Blood, Aja just knew that it was going to take time. He was already tired because to him it was late in the day. While three Ooman days had passed already, the one he was on was just starting to end. But he could already feel the dull of tiredness creep on him. Even with the notion that he would later be with his Kella, with his age not even Aja could even stay awake. While he was by no means old, it was certainly not young.

"We tracked him to the east sector of the Delta District." The leader tells Elder Rhd and Aja. "He is here. My group has maintained a barrier that not even he could cross without us knowing."

"Well done." Elder Rhd praises. It was an odd thing for an Elder such as he to really compliment on those below him, but by his teachings Elder Rhd was different from any others, like all who were in contact with Her. She was one of the greatest Yautja ever known, Her memory and Her sacrifice will forever be known to every Yautja from now until the universe dies.

"I will take my group in." Aja tells. "We will scout every place until he is apprehended."

"Remember my son, I do not care if he is alive or not." Elder Rhd says once more. With a slight nod Aja leaves with the other nine in his group and they quickly make their way into the depths of this district. Now Aja truly knew why his Kella does what she does. The squallier evident just from the smell was overwhelming. Even with the Yautja to guide them into prosperity, the Oomans always found a way to ruin it for themselves. But it was his Kella who is trying to make it better. Aja had split his group up, two in each, with Ajas good friend Se by his side. He and Se slowly make their way into a large warehouse that looked decrepit and ready to fall down at any moment. As the two hunters made their way through, they knew that if the Bad Blood was in here he knew it because no matter how they tried, the rickety floors would wane from their weight, almost whine from the mass. Although when he and Se came to the tallest room of the building, cowering in the corner was the Bad Blood. When Aja saw him, his blood began to boil for many reasons. For one thing this Yautja was a disgrace to their species. And for another he had taken him away from his Kella. With a quick look to Se, he told his friend that this was his kill and Se was glad to give him to opportunity.

It didn't take long for the Bad Blood to fall to Ajas hands. Aja, however, didn't come out void of injury. A very lengthy and deep cut on his right chest was something he needed to get checked. No matter how he wished to go to his Kella he wouldn't go wounded. His florescent green blood mingles with the Bad Bloods on the ground, giving the room a chilling glow. The Bad Blood however made a greater deposit to the amount of blood as Aja begins to take his trophy from his kill. The Bad Blood was a challenge and Aja felt he was deserving to be declared, at least, worthy to be shown at a prize.

"Shame the Bad Blood was overcome by his instincts." Se tells as he waits for Aja to finish taking the skull. It was much more difficult to take a Yautja skull then an Oomans, taking much skill to get it out completely.

"He only had to wait a single season more." Aja grunts. "To eager to prove himself." He says, slipping the skill from the surrounding skin was that wonderful slurping sound.

"But you must get yourself to the healers. Who knows what dieses these Oomans have here, you could die dishonorably because of Ooman debauchery." Se hisses. On the way back, Aja could barely keep his eyes from falling even as he ran to the DropShip to heal. The others who greeted him congratulated him on the kill and on his new scar. He did make it to the healers after a few conversations that he had to hold, and with each one getting more and more annoyed at the speaker. Even as the healer began to place that dammed gel into his wounds, Aja was only on one person, his Kella.

He had never run so fast in his whole life. It took to long for him to be released from the healers, he didn't even waste time to shower and now it was late even to him. Aja was exhausted from the day's events and yet excited for what was to come…and also frightened. Kella would undoubtedly be angry that he had not come in time. And she surly would not have waited up for so long. The Ooman night had long come and now Aja was running across dark roofs and through shadowy roads to get to her home. And once he did, he felt so much better. The one thing that hit him first was that there were no lights on. Climbing the wall to her top floor and then to the unlocked door, Aja could see Kella in her bed sound asleep. As he opens the door, he was fast to close it because he did not want to cold to get in. Standing at the end of her bed, Aja smiles greatly as his Kella was on her stomach clutching a pillow tightly. She was clothed however and he even wondered for how long she waited for him unclothed, but he soon told himself not to think of it. For one thing he truly was too exhausted to think of mating, he is not as young as he once was. And he did not want to wake her. But just as the notion of not waking her went through his mind, Kella begins to stir.

"Aja?" She whispers, lifting her head from the pillow and without another word Aja decloaks. "What happened to you?" Kella almost yells. The blood that was on him was so caked on him and she was so worried he was hurt.

"It is not all mine." Aja laughs. "The Bad Blood was caught, but not before he gave me another scar to tell of."

"So you're alright?" She asks and she slowly crawls to him.

"I am fine. Exhausted, but fine. I am sorry to make you wait."

"I understand Aja. I figured that it was important." She smiles up into his mask. "I want to see you smile." Without talking Aja take off his mask and simply lets it fall to the ground, to exhausted to care. Unexpectedly, Kella takes one of his hands and leads him to one side of her bed and starts to pull him on. While she to was exhausted, she didn't want to just mate with him.

"Do you wish me to stay here?" Aja asks confused, Kella just nods to him, lets him stand at the side of the bed, and slips into the covers. She was cold in just a tank-top and panties. "It is not normal for a male to stay with a female if they are not mating." He says strongly but even as his mind was saying that it was not the usual, his body begins to take off his Awu'asa piece by piece and sets it on the ground with a 'thunk'.

"Tell me any part of 'this' that is normal." Kella laughs, Aja soon to chuckle as well. After a minute or two, Aja was left only in his loincloth. Kella quickly takes his hand once more and pulls him onto her bed.

"I do not know what to do." He says truthfully. Kella just giggles at him lightly and slides the extra pillow to him, like hell was she sharing hers! But only after Aja was under the covers, his toes touching the foot board, did they really relax.

"First you close your eyes." Kella says and gently places her fingers over her Ajas eyes lids to close them. "Then I will close mine." She does as she says. "Then we will go from there."

Authors note: I know it is considerable shorter then the others, there is a lot in it!

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: Oak Tree Woman, ben revell, and Sky66 (You think you are cold my friend, I live in Winnipeg and it is so cold here that I cant even begin to describe it!)

On aff .net: Chancelor22, shortestwarrior (I just might to one for M&B. And I hope this chapter shed light on Elder Rhds view), Muse of Scrolls, Death God Dist (I like guys in loincloths hehe), and Scarlett.

Pronunciations (previous on chapters 1 &2)

Se Say


	8. The Day of

The History of Tomorrow

The Day of

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." Kella practically yells as her alarm starts to blare, ending the horrific sound with a swipe of her hand, also yelling at Ken to shut up after informing her it was going to be a rainy day. When Kella flips over her hair to look at her Aja, he is glaring at her with his face half covered by her white blanket, his eyes, forehead and a bunch of his tresses showing. "I'm sorry." She whispers as he groans at her.

"Why do females always sleep so little?" Aja hisses, stretching out his legs with a silent yawn.

"Well, you know Oomans sleep for what? One fifth what the Yautja do? And you are in my bed," Kella says smartly, leaning closer to him and smiling. Aja simply growls at her, he is not a morning person and this to him isn't even close to morning.

"You have to go?" Aja asks, strangely, raising a thick brow with the question.

"I have a lot to do," She sighs, sadly. "But I don't want to go."

"You have to." He says bluntly. Kella looks at him with an open mouth and questioning eyes. "My father wishes to speak with you and it would be better if he found you out there, than in here with me."

"True." Kella laughs, noticing her Aja's eyes flutter oddly. '_He must be really tired_.' She thinks with a smile.

"And I would guess that I will be called by my father soon to talk about what you two will."

"What does he want to talk to me about?" She asks as she slips out of the bed, heading to her closet to get something for the sleepy Yautja.

"If I tell you, then your reaction will not be sincere when he tells you." Aja yawns, pulling more of Kella's blanket to him. He never really noticed how cool the Ooman world was. Inside this house however, it was considerably warmer than the outside. But he could still feel the cold on his extremities. Kella emerges from the closet dressed in much warmer clothing. A nice wool turtle neck and thick pants, all white of course. But in her hands is something that Aja never knew she had, he would have asked for it if he had known. With half lidded eyes, Aja nearly roars in surprise when Kella throws a rather heavy winter blanket over him. She had realized that he would be more comfortable with more covers so grabbed her heavy one for him. Slowly Aja sits up on his elbows to look at what is on him, and then slowly balances on one to feel the strange pelt. "What is this?"

"This is the father of my horse, Alban. His name was Snow and he was a prized Clydesdale for my family. When he died, I made his pelt of fur into a blanket so I wouldn't forget him." Kella smiles, running her hand over the white fur as she makes her way around to her Aja. Before she can utter another syllable, he grabs Kella by the wrist and gently pulls her onto him and rolls her onto the middle of the bed, half his weight on her side. Purring deeply, Aja gently swipes the still uncombed hair from her face and can't help but grin when Kella bites her lip.

"I thought you were tired…" Kella shudders out in a breath.

"I may be tired," He answers, pushing his head into the crook of her neck and purring even louder. "but no male should let a marvel like you leave without taking something to remember her by until the next time he sees her." So she blushed a little… Just then Aja breathes deeply, filling his lungs so full of her delicious scent that he nearly collapses on her. With him being so close, Kella lifts her head up to him, her face delving into his tresses as she too takes in his essence. Uncontrollably, Kella groans, arching her back into him. "Keep doing that I will keep you here!" Aja growls into her ear.

"Uhh… I really need to go." Kella whines, pushing him off of her. As she starts to crawl over her Aja, straddling his chest, she stops and looks down at him. She can clearly see exhaustion in his eyes, but she can also see something she knows he isn't really awake for. But she could spare another moment. With her soft fingers, his Kella traces the scars over his right eye. Aja pushes his face into her hand, his mandibles twitching in delight. Softly laughing, Kella gets off of him before she, too, would keep him beneath her. "Sleep. I don't think either of us can do anything with you tired." She smiles down at him and places a soft kiss on his brow, which Aja thinks is rather odd but pleasing. "And if you need to go…" She pauses to look into his eyes. "…come to me at sun down." Aja didn't answer at first, just staring into her eyes. Then he slowly raises his head to hers and gently drags his mandibles over her soft lips, which soon smiled as she knew his answer. With that, Kella leaves without looking back.

Aja felt more than odd that he was in another's bed, but it was his Kella's bed, and it was so comfortable. Pulling up the newly added blanket, Aja falls asleep once more with her scent still holding him.

"" "" "" ""

When Ken had gotten out that it was raining, he wasn't kidding. She had to grab a thick white trench coat on her way out, but it did little help as she went around her District talking to her usual contacts. But today was an important day. She had been waiting for this day for years because no one pissed her off like the man who was standing in front of her. Both were soaked, little drops of rain sliding off their eye brows and down their faces. Kella didn't care that her hair was stuck to her face because she was to angry

"You have them?" Jonathon Harper, the governor of Acropolis, hisses through his teeth. His normally greasy black hair looks even nastier with the wet, his dark eyes squinting in anger.

"You resign?" Kella spits back.

"Yes. New candidates have already arrived. One, in particular, I think will be elected and I know he will ride your ass harder than I have."

"You never did anything to my ass. You were a pain in it, yes, but you never rode it." She growls.

"No matter. Adam Becks is not one to fall for your ways." Oh, she had to try so hard not to laugh and to cringe at the memory. "Give them to me." He orders, extending his hand.

"Prove to me that you are out of the office for Acropolis." With that, Harper digs in his own coat and hands her a news-paper. The letterhead read 'Governor Harper GONE!', she has to smile at her accomplishment. "Tell me the deal once more." Kella orders.

"I will resign my post. I will move from Acropolis to a city not within ten cities. I will never show my face in this city again. I will never go into any position for any city or District for any city I live in. You will never show the pictures. You will give me the originals and copies. You will keep the negatives of the pictures as insurance that I will keep to the deal. You will never show any pictures to anyone ever. You will keep the negatives locked within your house for no one but you to know where they are. Am I missing anything?" Harper scowls.

"Sounds about right." Kella laughs. With that, she takes out a large sealed envelope from her pocket and hands it to Harper. "Get out." Without another word, he turns tail and runs like a rat too a car not to far away. If she does ever see him again, she will kill him.

"I know it is rude to pry…" A sudden gruff voice frightens Kella, making her whip around to see no one. "But to see you hold something in a small package over Ooman Harper was a funny thing to witness." Just then an odd crackling sound behind her makes Kella twist around once more and there behind her was Elder Rhd.

"Elder Rhd…" She gasps, grabbing her chest as her heart beats loudly. "You startled me."

"I apologize." He laughs.

"And you laughing makes me believe you." She laughs back. "What can I do for you, Elder Rhd?"

"First let's get out of the rain. But I am unfamiliar with this area." Even Elder Rhd is soaked through, the water trailing into all his armor and dripping off his tresses.

"Follow me." Kella bows half way and starts to walk.

Even though the streets are almost empty, Elder Rhd cloaks once more to follow, not willing to let any others see him. When Kella enters the coffee shop, it is almost empty. Telling Elder Rhd to wait outside for a moment, Kella goes inside to tell the shop owner that she would be using the roof, as it was covered for outdoor use, for a while, and that if there are any customers up there that they should move and that no more should be let up there. It took only a minute for the four or five people from the roof to come down and when they did, Kella motioned to Elder Rhd to come to the roof.

"I hope you find this good enough." Kella says as Elder Rhd sits down with her at one of the low tables, not expecting the chairs to hold him.

"Quite." Just then the door leading back down to the busy shop opens and Mr. Marks, the shop owner, walks through with a tray. Seeing the Yautja, he stops.

"Mr. Marks," Kella says softly. "Come now and speak nothing of what you have seen…" Nodding quickly, Mr. Marks' fat bouncing from the movement, he slowly walks to them and places a tray of Kella's favorite tea down before scurrying back downstairs. On the tray, however, are not the normal things you would need to drink tea, because she didn't drink it. But there was a large towel for her to dry her hair with. With a satisfying sigh, Kella takes off her soaked coat, Elder Rhd soon follows suit with his mask. "So is there something you want of me, Elder Rhd?" She asks, drying her hair with the towel.

"News of your dinner invitation has gone around the attending hunters, and almost all are demanding to dine with the Protected female." Elder Rhd says nonchalantly. Kella stops drying her hair and stares blankly at him,

"And…and how many are there of you?" She stutters.

"Well, I am only allowing the fifty here to hunt and not the others."

"F…fifty…" Kella repeats in a breath.

"Not including me or the others I invited." He smiles at her awestruck face.

"Others…" She whispers. She can't house that many Yautja!

"The six other Elders of this clan, and the clan leader."

"Do you want me to fall over? Because I am about to!" Kella nearly yells.

"That's about the reaction I was thinking to get. But I am just telling you who is coming. I don't know what to do as your house cannot hold that many. So I went to find you to see what we could plan. And that's when I saw Ooman Harper leave the District office."

"And that's why you were there?" She asks, getting a nod of 'yes'.

"I wondered why Ooman Harper had so suddenly stepped down. I do not think you will tell me what you used to get him to do so?" Kella just smiles and shakes her head, proving that she will keep to the deal and let no other know what is in those photos. "But it is my business that he has stepped down, as for why…that is not. As to the dinner…"

"If I may," Kella interrupts, waiting for the nod from Elder Rhd to continue. "While my home cannot serve that many, there are plenty of banquet halls that would. Make it almost like a party."

"Will there be chocolate?" Elder Rhd asks suddenly, making her laugh.

"Why don't we have everything? All the best Ooman foods for you to taste. From cocktail hour to dessert?"

"I think that would be pleasing. But if you are to plan something, I would think the dinner would need to be postponed as it will take time." Elder Rhd offers.

"It will take time, but not a lot. I could probably get everything arranged within ten Ooman days." Kella smiles, loving the scent of the tea as it is the only reason she ever get it.

"Ten Ooman days." Elder Rhd bows his head to her. "So there are fifty including Aja. Myself, the other six Elders and the Clan Leader."

"I just realized I do not know the name of your clan…" Kella suddenly bursts out.

"And it is not for you to know." He replies, coldly. Kella just smiles at him and gives him a slight nod, knowing her place.

"I shall arrange for sixty-five places, in case someone else demands to attend. Am I to assume that I am also included in the dinner, or am I just serving you?" She jokes and gets a snort from Elder Rhd as a response.

"We will be guests of you, Caretaker Kella." Elder Rhd laughs. For about an hour the Yautja and Ooman stayed up on the coffee shop roof, talking of the most mundane of things from the weather and to the many kinds of chocolate…ok so chocolate isn't so mundane but it was a lengthy conversation. About mid way through the conversation, Kella went down to the shop and got them some hot chocolate, which Elder Rhd demanded to be served at their dinner, and some towels for him to dry off with as the water on his armor would do it no good if left there.

"If you will excuse me, I must inform my second of the new plans before I forget." Elder Rhd says as he places his mask back on. Kella could only wait for him to finish, sitting solemnly next to a Yautja that had scared her nearly to death as a child, but now shared a hot chocolate with her. "It seems my son was asleep." He laughs deeply.

"Your son?" Kella squeaks.

"Aja is my second in power and my son. It has taken many seasons for him to get to his rank and I am sure one day he will take my place." He beams. "But I awakened him when I contacted him, so suggested he to meet me."

"So is this the end of our little rendezvous?" Kella asks.

"I suppose it is." Just when Elder Rhd was readying himself to stand, Kella realized that Aja was still in her bed and she needed to stall for a little while so he could get to the ship.

"One moment please, Elder Rhd. I have a few questions." He nods for her continue. "Is there anything the Yautja will not eat? I would hate to organize a meal and not have any eat it."

"Considering we ate everything in your cold storage I don't think there is anything we truly won't eat. We will, however, eat only the freshest of foods."

"I expected that" She laughs. "I do worry though. With the amount of hunters there, I would need to have more than myself to serve. But as for the servers…"

"I would suggest all females. I wouldn't want a hunter to see the one giving him his dinner as worthy prey." Elder Rhd laughs.

"Nor would I." She agrees, seriously. "So only females, any particular age? Because there have been more and more worthy Ooman females around. Me as an example. But I am protected."

"Then they should all be adolescents, not even worth thinking of twice." Elder Rhd nods. He really couldn't get past how she had thought of such things with the news just coming to her.

"Sorry to keep you and your son waiting." Kella laughs, standing and signaling to Elder Rhd that she, too, must go. She does have a refrigerator to restock, something he reminded her of.

"Good bye, Caretaker Kella. And I will contact you on a later date to check on how things are going." With that, they say their goodbyes and Elder Rhd leaves Kella on the roof to go about her daily routine. Elder Rhd, on the other hand, had taken the scenic route to the ship as he wished to see the District that Kella had been taking care of. He never really noticed before, but the number of families in the Alpha District compared to others must be three to one. But his mind-set to stay and look at the Oomans had changed as the weather did, the rain becoming a downpour. When he entered the ship, he took a few moments to dry and change before going to his son. When he did, however, he could see that he tired but awake.

"Caretaker Kella has decided to hold a large banquet for all those attending and, I think it will be a pleasurable experience." Elder Rhd laughs as he sits with his son in his small sitting room.

"Is that all you wished to speak to me of?" Aja yawns.

"No. A decision has been made by the attending, and we have chosen to stay until our scheduled time to leave."

"We are staying? I thought we would just leave and come back when we planned to."

"We are already here and, since Caretaker Kella is having the most important of the clan, the decision to stay was a clear one." Elder Rhd sighs, leaning into one of the pillows around him. "But we are leaving before it gets to the colder of this Ooman world's season." He laughs. "How are you so tired Aja?" He asks as his son yawns loudly.

"I left the ship after I took the Unblood, I was not…satisfied." He laughs at his own words.

"Did you satisfy your need?" Elder Rhd asks, concerned that his son had not gotten rid of the desire to hunt.

"No." Aja smiles widely, knowing that his father was talking of the hunt, but he was talking of something even more primal.

"Then sleep my son." Elder Rhd say as he stands. "The day is young, get your rest for later." He grips Aja on the shoulder before leaving to sleep as well. Aja ss soon in his bed again, knowing that he should take his father's advice and rest. But as he rests into his own covers, he misses Kella's. He misses her scent on them and he misses the white of her room, he misses her. But he will satisfy that hunger later…

"" "" "" ""

Kella had spent almost all that rainy day talking with people who could contribute to both her refrigerator and to the banquet, already meeting with the owners of a large hall, setting up arrangements local shops and even some from out of the city to get the delicacies of the Ooman world to her. When she finally had time to sit down and eat, which was late in the afternoon, it had begun to thunder and lightning in the city, the crashes of light and sound both rattling and lighting everything around her. She had originally thought to sit and have a quiet dinner, but the constant rumbling of the thunder and the lights flickering on and off just made her want to go home. She had stopped during her errands to get an umbrella from the shop where her aunt and uncle did not take the news of the Yautja dinner well. But what could she do? She couldn't really do anything about that or about her white pants and shoes getting wet and dirty on the walk home. Every now and then she would loudly curse the muck as she felt it being flung up and onto her pant legs, getting more then a few stares for her words. But she thankfully makes it home just as the worst of the worst begins, a constant barrage of light and sound from the rain hitting her house and the thunder rattling her windows. When Kella steps in, she shakes out her umbrella with a thankful sigh because at least her top half had remained dry. After taking off her trench coat and placing it in the closet to dry, she worries about messing up her house with the bottom of her muddy pants. So she decides to take them off, sliding them down off her hips, and then slowly stepping out of them, leaving her in only her turtle neck and underwear. With her experience with white, Kella is quick to soak the pants in cold water in her kitchen sink. Already cold with no pants on and her skin was flush with goosebumps, Kella walks reluctantly up the stairs, knowing her Aja would not be there. His father had said he was to meet him so she would have to wait until sundown for him to come to her…or so she thought. When Kella places a single foot into her room she feels it. That same feeling came to her, a sudden and wonderful jerk to her stomach that tells her instantly that her Aja is watching her. She slowly walks into the room a few steps, looking around for him or for his cloaking line but sees nothing. Biting her lip in excitement, Kella couldn't begin to identify why the knowledge that he was watching but she couldn't see him excited her, making something in her burn for him.

"It's not sundown." Kella points out happily, getting a very amused thrill of laughter from somewhere in the room.

"I don't care." Aja growls longingly, the constant barrage of rain and thunder behind his words.

"I want to see you smile…" She says softly and soon turns to the door leading into her room with her Aja uncloaking and standing just at the frame, not being outside or inside. "Why are you there?" Kella asks, confused.

"Because you said 'next time, just knock on the door or wake me, or roar, just something, and then ask to come in, alright.' So, can I come in?" Aja laughs.

"You better." Kella whispers as she starts walking to him and he walks to her. When Aja walks fully through the door, however, it closes automatically and becomes airtight, this being a nifty thing Kella likes to call 'intimate mode' when no one can hear what's going on inside. But no matter how sealed, the cracking of the thunder is so loud it can't be completely muffled.

"What are you wearing?" Aja asks, taking off him mask and letting it fall to the ground, focusing on the female he was going to mate with, his Kella.

"I had on more clothes, but the storm had," Before she can finish, Aja lifts her by the waist and pulls her onto the bed, leaning down to smell her again, missing her so much. "Ouch." Kella squeaks, as a few of his sharper weapons hit her inner thighs.

Aja quickly moves back just a little to give himself room and starts to take off his armor. Kella moves on the bed so she was sitting on her knees, high enough to stare directly at him as he slowly and meticulously takes off his chest plate. As the piece of clearly fight worn metal falls from his chest, she gasps suddenly at his scars, a perfectly timed crack of thunder adding to the shock value. The night before had been dark and she hadn't really seen him, but now in the light of her room, she is both horrified and mesmerized. Aja smiles at her reaction before taking off his belt full of weapons and then his body mesh, leaving only his loincloth as he steps back towards her. The first thing Kella does when her hands touched his skin is bite her bottom lip, something Aja finds entirely erotic. With her soft finger-tips, Kella traces a few of the longer scars, they were so prominent that not even a blind female could miss them. Even as marked as he is, she slowly makes her way up, her fingers dancing from scar to scar, to a grouping of little round ones, something she recognizes.

"Is this where you were hit?" She questions, gently swirling her fingers over each of the five scars.

"Yes." Aja purrs, inching closer and closer to her. He is barely able to hold himself back as she touches his scars, this alone being an initiation to mate. But he already knows what she wants, she just wishes to look, so he doesn't mind. When he is close enough, Kella leans forwards and gently kisses each and every scar made by the Ooman weapon, smiling at Ajas answering rumble. She can feel it on her lips, she can feel it in her lungs and she can feel it feuling her want and need. His hands suddenly appear at her sides, the rough palms tickling her skin as a few of his clawed fingers slid under her shirt. Little by little he lifts it up until her bellybutton is exposed. With more of her in view, Aja runs his hands over her stomach, her muscles convulsing uncontrollably at his touch. "Are you cold?" Aja asks concerned as he can see and feel her body shiver.

"No." She breathes out with a smile, her eyes glazing with desire. Kella lifts her arms above her head, signaling for Aja to take her shirt completely off, which he does with pleasure. Groaning loudly, Aja greets her breasts, even though they are covered by a piece of fabric armor, shielding him from seeing them again. Kella can barely contain moans as he slides his hands to her back, one of them resting on her newly healed wounds, gently caressing them and making them feel much better. Kella leans against her Aja as his other hand slowly skims up her spine to the back of her bra. She has to wonder how many Ooman bras he had taken off before if he knows how to get hers off, anger and jealousy running through her at the thought. But her worries die when his sharp claws get to the fabric, only to snip it by the clasp. She lets it fall to the floor without a second thought, because all she can see is Aja staring into her eyes. He picks her up by the waist and pulls her to his own body, the feeling of her breasts against his chest so wonderful, as he climbs onto the bed with her. He lays Kella down on her back so he could really look at her, really admirer his Kella. Aja sits up with her legs between his, him straddling her and looking at the female below him. "What?" Kella asks with a giant smile.

"Just looking." Aja laughs, trailing a single hand up her side until it comes in contact with one of her mounds of beautiful flesh, letting the weight rest in his palm. "You are very soft…" He purrs.

"Thank you." Kella laughs, and then laughs even harder as her Ajas eyes widen when her breasts bounce from her laughter, his mandibles open in a silent smile. Kella decides to urge him on and lifts one of her knees under him and strokes it against his inner thigh. His response made every muscle in her body relax to the point of numbness as Aja can't hold his musk any longer, letting his body pump out the potent pheromone. He can't take it any more, he has to have his Kella. Abruptly, Aja once again uses his sharp claws and cuts off her panties, Kella making a note to kick him afterwards for ruining her underwear. She looks at him crossly, just to make sure he knows that she didn't like him cutting up her stuff, but he isn't looking at her face. After throwing away the cut garment, Aja has to stare at the bare junction between his Kellas legs. It is so different, so strange, so alluring. Kella slowly moves her hands to his hips, right where the latches to his loincloth are, but she does not open them.

"Why do you wait?" Aja asks, confused at her hesitance since she was so forwards before.

"Just wondering how long it would take you to ask that." She laughs at his fake growl of anger. With that noise, however, a tingling sensation crawls up her spine. Kella quikly removes his loincloth, the last barrier remaining between them to stop what they both want so much. Kella gawks at the member before her, at the peak of hardness and so inviting, but its size makes her feel a little afraid, something Aja doesn't miss.

"We will go slowly." He promises her as he moves down the bed and gently grasps her thighs, opening them up to him. He could already smell her arousal from the moment she knew he was in the room, but with her open as she is, he has to stop and just sniff the air, the aroma so thick, so delicious. Kella's legs instinctively wrap, as much as they can, around Ajas thick waist, but he won't just take her. While she was clearly ready for him, they need to go slow, they need to be careful. "We need to go slowly, I don't want to hurt you." He purrs and leans down onto her body, keeping most of his weight off her but allowing just enough to give each of them a wonderful pressure.

"I know but…" She would have continued but Aja knows how to keep her words from dragging on. He lets his rigid limb suddenly slide against her wetness, but he doesn't enter her, only wanting to feel her, to feel his Kella, and to hear her moan. And does she ever. But her moan is not just that of pleasure, but also of anger. How dare he tease her! Kella wants nothing more at this moment then to be joined with her Aja, to feel him inside her. She wants what any mating couple would feel, to have that connection.

"Are you ready?" Aja purrs softly at her as her eyes drill into his. Kella places her hands on his shoulders and silently nods to him. He trills at her and shifts his hips, the tip of his pulsing member at her entrance. Kella could already feel that his size is likely to hurt, but she also knew that Aja was familiar with how to do this. At least, she hopes he is. He did say that they needed to be slow, that they should take their time because he didn't want to hurt her. Kella shuts her eyes tight, waiting for the pain to come, but he doesn't move anymore. The next thing she knows, sharp but gentle stroking starts on her cheeks, enticing her to smile greatly and open her eyes to her Aja. When she does however, her eyes connecting to his, Aja starts to purr deep in his belly. "My Kella…" He trills, running his lower mandibles over her lips.

"My Aja…" She whispers back. And then it happens. With a small, calculated thrust, Aja pushes into her a few inches, allowing her to adjust as much as she can, but by the odd expression his Kella now had, he knew that she was on the knife's edge of pleasure and pain. But never did she close her eyes, always having them open and staring at her Aja through their mating. Pushing in a few more inches, Kella's breath catches in her throat. Her body, even with the slight pain and unusual feeling, reacts to his incoming manhood. Her back arches up to him as her legs tighten around his waist. Aja is unable to think. Even though he is less than halfway into his Kella, he can barely understand what is surrounding him. She is so different, so strange and so wonderful. All he can do is groan as he pushes in even more, his whole body quivering when hearing his Kella's answering moan. But Kellas pleasure was stops when he goes too far, painfully hitting something in her. When she abruptly shut her eyes, bites down hard on both her lips and whimpered ever so slightly, Aja stops, purring to her that he knows that was all she could take. Despite the fact he is only three-fourths of the way in, he would be satisfied with whatever his Kella can give him. When he starts to withdraw from her, Kella looks at him in confusion.

"I don't want to hurt you." He purrs in her ear, his mandibles tickling her earlobe. When Aja begins a slow pace, Kella moves her hands to his neck, bracing herself for each thrust. But when one of her hands travels higher, going deep into his tresses, Aja growls in ecstasy, a spike of energy curling around his spine downwards to the connection between he and his Kella. She doesn't miss the sensation it brought to her Aja and starts to slowly tangle her fingers in his black locks, enticing another round of pleasing growls from him, which almost makes Kella want to laugh as the vibrations hit her skin. Ajas back arches in bliss as he is already coming to a climax, but he won't without his Kella. She is close as well, just the thought of finally having her Aja inside her making her body heat up almost unbearably. When her most intimate muscles start to contract in orgasm, Aja gasps roughly at the sensation, which brings him over the edge into sexual bliss. Growling with each thrust, Aja straightens his back as he could feel his body contracting, but never takes his eyes from her. The tightening of his Kella around his member is too much and he starts to fill her with his seed. When Kella senses his release, she reaches her own peak and climaxes onto a euphoric level, her breath catching and eyes rolling into the back of her head. With the unexpected convulsions around him, Aja throws his head back in elation and roars to the heavens. Kella has to cover her ears for a moment but loves the sound completely, her entire body trembling from it. Just as the high from mating starts to leave her, Aja looks back down at her with the strangest look in his eyes. Before Kella could ask if something is wrong, he picks her up by way of his hand at her back, lifting her body to his as he leans down. Aja seemed to be on autopilot, which he is, but unknown to Kella. He bends her head to the right with his free hand, then wipes the stray strands of her red hair from her right shoulder. Opening his mandibles and mouth of sharp teeth wide, Aja places his mouth at the junction between her neck and shoulder. Then to Kella utter and shocking surprise, her Aja bites down on her neck, hard. Her hands instantly go to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin, but to no avail.

"AJA!" Kella screams in fright and pain, not knowing what is going on. But her words hit home as her Ajas eyes focus and he realizes what he is doing. He has bitten her, his mandibles sticking at least a centimeter in and the razor-sharp teeth of his mouth even further into her skin. Quickly dislodging them from her shoulder, Kella can only stare at him, tears of pain in her eyes, as he tries to understand why he has done this, and to her.

"…Kella…I don't…I'm sorry." He tries, but can't find the words. Kellas blood begins to pulse from her small wounds down her chest, the smell finally snapping Aja into action. While he can see that his Kella is in shock, not moving or saying anything, he knows that he has to stop the bleeding before it gets even worse. Lifting her body from his, Aja slides himself out of his Kella and rests her on the bed. She doesn't move, not understanding what is going on. Aja does but couldn't understand why it happened, or how. He doesn't have the time to dwell on those thoughts however and runs straight into her bathroom, remembering having seen cloths he can use. He grabs them before running back to his Kellas side. Her hands are pressed over her small wounds, stopping a lot of the blood from falling. Aja places the white towels over her broken skin and presses down gently to gather the blood and put pressure on the wounds.

"What happened?" Kella stammers. "Why did you bite me?" She looks right into his eyes, but he can't look into hers.

"On rare occasions, mating couples can bite one another. I did not anticipate this…" He growls to himself, keeping some of the information about what happened from her and from him as he doesn't want to think about it further. For now, he just needs to heal his Kella. When the bleeding stopped, Kella cleans her hands and her Ajas mandibles and teeth. She looks at her new wounds, her shoulder has the perfect outline of her Ajas bite. While it hurt, it looks beautiful to her. Once Aja throws the soiled towels back into the bathroom, he climbs back onto the bed and pulls his Kella against his body. "I am sorry, I didn't want to hurt you." He purrs.

"It was an accident." Kella says as she smiles at him.

Careful not to rest her on her wounded shoulder, Aja lays down on her bed with his Kella against him. She is a little uncomfortable, as she never allowed any male she has mated with to stay after mating. But he was her Aja, she wanted him to. Trying to be more comfortable, Kella turns onto her stomach and rests her head on one of his giant arms. She wants to stay awake to be with him, but soon finds herself unable to keep her eyes open. As Aja runs his free hand up and down her spine, she was soon asleep. Aja knows that he won't sleep for two reasons. For one thing, he is not close to being tired. And for another, he just wants to lay still with her, his Kella, by his side.

Authors note: And there yeah go!

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: Phoenix, Minkutei, Oak Tree Woman, and ben revell.

On aff .net: Death God Dist, shortestwarrior, and Muse of Scrolls.


	9. Safe Keeping

The History of Tomorrow

Safe Keeping

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

Kella slowly wakes, smiling at the feeling of her Aja beside her. Unhurriedly, she looks up to find his eyes closed and breathing even, she sighs and rests her head on his chest. And then the worst thoughts invade Kellas mind. 'What if he's going to leave now? What if he is done with me?' Bit by bit she starts to become frantic in her thoughts. Her heart races in fear and sadness, her breathing becomes labored and tears wet her eyes. She doesn't want him to go. She wants to stay here with him, and have him here always with her. But she shouldn't – couldn't and can't- be demanding these things.

"What is the matter?" Aja yawns, his arm around her tightening. Kella stares blankly at his closed eyes, wondering how he knows.

"No, I'm fine." She lies. "Sorry I woke you."

"A morning nap should never go to long. And I know you are not fine. Your breathing tells me you are agitated. I can smell the salt and water from your eyes. And the loudness of your heart woke me. Your heart can not lie Kella. What is wrong?" Aja finally opens his eyes to look down to her.

"Are you going to leave now?" Kella whispers.

"Leave?"

"Yautja don't stay after they have mated. And if they do it's only for a short time." Kella pauses to look away sheepishly. "I don't want you to go…" Suddenly Aja growls and grabs her roughly at the hips, turning their position so he is on top of her.

"You thought I would not show when we arranged to see the sunset. And now you think I will simply leave? Do you have no confidence in me Kella?" Aja asks with a hot smile, his mandibles clicking together in an attempt not to laugh at her.

"I do. I do. It's just…I don't want you to leave!" She nearly yells. Aja gently grabs her chin and forces her to look at him, his mandibles stroking her lips and cheeks.

"That is good for many reasons…" He purrs, dipping his head to her neck and lightly touching each new mark he had given her the night before.

"And why is that good for many reasons?" Kella laughs, her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

"For one thing, I do not wish to leave. And for another we are staying until the seasons change on this world." He purrs into her ear.

"YOU'RE WHAT?" Kella screams, making him rear his head back.

"…staying until the seasons change to the cold." Aja answers wearily. But when his Kella smiles so large, her red lips curling, he knows she is happy. "And I intend to spend every possible moment in this wondrous bed of yours." He thrills.

"Wait!" Kella pushes him back, his eyes widening in shock. "I need to have a shower real bad!" She pleads and with a half angry, half playful growl he lets her off the bed and watches with satisfaction as her naked form walks away. When he hears the sound of the water running, Aja jumps off the bed to go and surprise her. However as he silently creeps to the bathroom, his hand on the wall, it comes into contact with another almost invisible door. He slides it open and finds all of her clothing hung neatly and in order, but then one small article hidden in the back makes Aja think about Kella in a different light.

Inside the bathroom however Kella washes thoroughly, inside and out, before drying herself off. But when she walks to the cabinet of medicine, she doesn't know what to do. Everyday she takes her hormone injections to not get pregnant, but is that even a possibility? Standing in a towel with dripping hair, Kella takes the injection to be sure. So with a strange sigh she walks out but when she opens the door she is faced with a black tank top.

"What is this?" Aja laughs. "I thought you only wear white?"

"I do and that is only for laundry day!" Kella giggles, ripping the shirt from his hands. "Now if you'll excuse me…" She pushes him out so she can dress…kind of. Kella closes the door in his face, hearing a growl of impatience but she just laughs. Aja, for a split second, thinks that he should simply knock down that door so he can have her again. But he soon decides to wait for her. He lets his body fall back on the bed and takes a deep breath, smelling their scents from mating as it still linger in the air. Even though Aja knows if knowledge of he and Kella mating came out there would be hell to pay, he doesn't care. He is here with his Kella and that is all that matters.

Just then the door opens and Aja lifts his head to only have his mandibles drop in aw. Kella walks out dressed only in a white lace bra and lace underwear that he has to admit makes her body look stunning, her hips accentuated, nearly making him drool. She slowly walks to him on the bed with a sly smile, her already dry, wavy hair rolling down her back. Aja sits up and watches helplessly as Kella gets on the bed as well and straddles his legs, pushing her body up against his.

"Can I ask you something Aja?" She whispers as she grinds her hips onto his swiftly stiffening member. Kella moans slightly when the strong scent of his Yautja musk hits her, so thick she can almost taste it.

"You can as what ever you like, but I doubt you will get a logical answer wearing that…" Aja growls happily and seizes her thighs in his hands and slowly moves them to her back. "What are you wearing?" He asks in a thrill.

"Something, that if you cut them like you did to the other set last night, I will kick your ass!" Kella informs strongly, but is unable to hold back a loud laugh when Aja grabs her own ass and squeezes. Without warning he switches so he is on top, planting his face between her breasts to smell their scent on her skin. But when all he can find is her own, Aja growls in anger and looks into her eyes.

"Why can I not smell our mating on you?"

"Because I had a shower…" Kella says a little scared of his reaction. She doesn't think that the scent of them mating would be a good thing to have on her for when she has to go. Or when he has to go and have their scent together on him. "I don't think the scent of our mating would go over well, do you?" She smiles and strokes his face with her hands, her fingers tracing his mandibles and teeth and then up to his eyes and brow.

"I don't like that you do not smell of me." He hisses, surprising both of them with his possessiveness. But both of them like it.

"Well we can change that!" Kella giggles and pushes him onto his back. She just knows that today is going to be a long and wonderful day.

"" "" "" ""

The next nine days came and went faster then they should have. After their first night and day of mating both Aja and Kella decided that they should wait until after the planned dinner to continue their little rendezvous'. But every now and then as Kella would go through her day she would feel that warmth in her knowing that her Aja was watching. Aja himself was busier then usual with the others coming to the dinner. The seven Elders actually took some convincing as to why they should attend. The Clan Leader however was pleased as he had not been on that planet in many, many seasons. But everyday Elder Rhd would contact Kella to tell her of any additions or changes and even just to talk, that being something both of them enjoyed. But the first moment she got, Kella had a special shoulder guard made that would start just below her shoulder and travel up to her neck. Of course it is white in color with engravings of Payas teachings over them. She made sure that it could be warn everyday as she doesn't want to know what would happen if another Yautja saw her scars from Aja. Kella does have the option of getting them removed but she doesn't want that. They are from her Aja, and they will always be there.

The plans for the dinner had gone smoothly with everything in place for the day the group is set to arrive. Word had gotten out about the dinner being for the Yautja so all of her requests were meet, even a few strange ones but no one asked questions. So Kella was a little shocked at herself when everything was done the day before the dinner. She barely had time over the past days for herself, let alone her Aja.

So when she wakes up this morning, already excited to see Aja again and meet other Yautja, she has no idea what to do for the day. After a long and soothing bath, Kella dresses warmly and decides to go to her favorite diner. Even though she hasn't been around the world, Kella is sure that Walkers Diner makes the best pancakes in the whole world. After ordering a rather large stack, she sits by herself reading the newspaper, laughing to herself about all the dumbass theories as to why the Yautja are actually having 'a get together with the Caretaker'. The best one to her is that she is being taken away so that the Governor can regain control of the District. But that's where they mess up. Acropolis doesn't have a Governor any longer and the peoples elections were in less then twenty days. Sighing with a slight groan of anger, Kella drops the paper and eagerly waits for her food when her eyes see him. Sitting in the booth directly across from her is none other then Adam Becks. Idly stirring his coffee over and over and reading the paper as well, Kella notes that he looks as good as ever with his tanned skin and short black hair. Just then, like he knew she was looking, Adam lifts his head and their eyes meet. Kella smiles warmly at him and then motions to the seat in front of her, silently inviting him to sit with her. Adam nods and stands up in his old fashioned business suit of black and white. He grabs his coffee, jacket and paper and then sits with Kella at her booth. Kella looks to her waitress and she nods in understanding that the two are together to eat.

"Are they right?" Adam asks, placing the paper rather harshly in front of her.

"Not even close." She answers, sipping her iced tea.

"You should have told the Governor about you inviting the Yautja to a dinner party." He sounds genuinely angry.

"If I remember correctly there is no Governor right now to tell. And the one who's sitting with me forgot to tell me of the fact that he is going to try to fill that position." Kella sighs, staring at him with blank eyes.

"Should I have told you?" Adam smirks, resting back into the booth and crossing his arms.

"You didn't have to but it would have been nice knowing that you will most likely be the next Governor who tries to get me killed." She says nonchalantly.

"What?" His shoulders drop, with Kella actually surprised that he didn't know.

"Harper wasn't the nice little man everyone thought he was. Personally I know of three hit men he has sent after me. Two of them I know and when they came to me telling of their deal with Harper I used it against him and tada…he's gone and you are running." Just then their food came with both of them getting the pancakes. They say their thank-you to the waitress and Kella digs in, noticing that Adam is still staring at her.

"He sent people to kill you?" He breathes.

"Uhuh…" Kella mumbles through a nice helping of pancake and syrup.

"What happened with the third one? You said he sent three after you and you knew two..." Kella raises her leg and shows him her scar from the gun and Adam gasps.

"Oh don't sound so surprised you sissy!" She laughs, pushing the syrup bottle over to him and he, like a zombie, squirts it on. "Besides, I got the one who I was trying to kill me and used him to get Harper out of office too. Got you in didn't it?"

"I'm not in!" Adam claims.

"Yeah, ok." She laughs and spoons in another fork full.

"I suppose that I am already forming plans to help the cities children may be proof that I am in…but that doesn't mean I am. But while on that subject, are you voting for me?" Kella looks up from her fork, syrup dripping, and tries hard not to laugh.

"We are eating and you are asking about votes? Come on man!" She shakes her head while Adam puts up his hands defensively.

"Alright you got me there. But I expect your name on a ballot with mine punched out. Ok?"

"Ok." Kella sighs.

"So…" He trails off. "Am I going to get to see you again?" Adam asks out of the blue.

"You see me right now." Kella smiles slyly at him. She knows what he's talking about but doesn't want to make it easy for him.

"You know what I mean Kella!" He laughs, rows and rows of dimples on his face.

"Not anytime soon." She says seriously and he simply nods. But inside he can feel something hurt in his chest, like someone had just punched it. Adam looks down to his meal, suddenly feeling his appetite gone, and something else rising from his stomach. But to be strong he downs his coffee, making sure that what ever was thinking to come up has second thoughts. "So why should I have told the Governor about me inviting the Yautja to a dinner party?" Kella asks, changing the subject.

"The Yautja are our business." Adam declares, getting a loud and true laugh from her.

"'Our' businesses? You have got to be kidding me!" Kella chuckles. "We are the business for the Yautja. We answer to them. We are owned by them. We do not ask for anything else but what is given. You know what happens if someone does! I think you have forgotten Adam Becks that this is not our planet. That this is not our world, our city, our food, our air! We are property, nothing more." She continues to laugh despite the seriousness of her words. "The only reason you are going into that 'Governor' position is because the Yautja know that Oomans need Ooman 'leadership' to grow. But you are nothing but a lackey to the Yautja. What they do is none of our business. What I am doing is their business, not yours." Kella sighs as she lets her giggles stop. And then all of the sudden she is mad. "You know…I think I too have forgotten that we are property. But I guess now that I have said it, I have to know it."

"You and me both." Adam whispers, resting back and looking out the window. "I know that this is not 'ours' any longer but that does not mean the situation cannot be improved. I believe the 'property of the Yautja' can do more then just sit down and take it. More then just watching and waiting for them. More then snuggling up to the 'masters' and feeding them to be in their favor." Now Kella looks at him in the eyes, but he can't take his look from the window, anger now flowing through his lips. "More then being the pauk-de Caretaker to a city that doesn't need her. To a city that is so in the ruin that not even rodents are willing to call it home. How can you, the Great Caretaker Kella, choose to protect this city from its own population and yet dine with those who made it so? You are a hypocrite Kella Matthews." Suddenly Adam stands up, still unable to look at her. "You go on with your day, go around 'protecting' or what ever the pauk you do to make you feel better about what's around you. But I hope tomorrow when you feed YOUR OWNERS you remember that they are the Yautja, and we are just the Oomans. We are the business for the Yautja. We answer to them. We are owned by them. We are property, nothing more." He grabs his jacket from the seat and storms out, making sure to slam the door behind him.

Adam stalks down the street, looking at all the things in the Alpha District that are truly wonderful. And only wonderful because of Kella. Just when he gets to his temporary office, until he gets into Office, he stops at the steps and replays his words for himself. As he slowly climbs the small stair case, he feels nothing but shame and guilt for his words to her. He shouldn't have snapped at her like that. Adam barges into his office, yelling at the secretary to take messages, and goes into his private study. He allows his body to simply drop onto his chair, the black leather creaking rightly, and he rests his face in his hands. He knows that what he had said was uncalled for as he is simply angry, but no one disserved that. Especially Kella. She has done so much and he just slammed her down like it did matter what she had accomplished. Adam makes a metal note to himself to never again vent on her. No one can really say all the things she has done for the Alpha District, and the good that has come from it. And she disserves to be treated with respect from him and not with what he just did to her. He slowly gets up from his chair and walks to the window, leaning on it with one hand, and he sighs.

'What's wrong with me?' Adam asks himself, trying to figure out why it hurt to bad when she said she wouldn't see him again. Maybe he had said it wrong, maybe he shouldn't have asked it in such a way. It is not like he simply wants to get into her bed as before, not anymore. 'I suppose what I felt that night was only felt by me…" He sighs in his head before turning from the window to get some work done.

"" "" "" ""

For longer then needed Kella stairs blankly at the spot where Adam once sat, knowing that what he said rang true. She knows he is right, but it still hurts like nothing she has ever felt. No physical wound can surmount his words. Suddenly finding herself full, Kella pushes the plate back and drinks the rest of her iced tea.

"I don't care what he said, you do great things Caretaker." A small voice from behind her makes Kella turnaround to see a girl with long dark blonde hair looking at her.

"Thank you." Kella smiles at her, she shifts in her seat so that she is better facing the young girl to find her not alone, a small boy eating away at the free biscuits the diner gives with a glass of water by him with her. "I don't think I have seen you two around." She says, motioning to the girl and boy.

"My brother and I just came to the Alpha District, he was hungry and we heard this place gives free stuff and water." The girl smiles, Kella knowing she was doing her best. "I'm Karen and that's Mike."

"Hi." The boy squeaks, his giant brown eyes looking through the long brown bangs.

"Hello. So where are your parents?" Kella asks but when she gets no response she doesn't push to get an answer. She sighs heavily and stands up to walk in front of their table then kneels down to be at the boys' level. "I want you to call this number and say that Kella needs you to help out." She starts writing down on a napkin for the girl. "You know about the Yautja coming for a dinner right?"

"Yeah! They are so cool!" The boy yells out, Kella lightly giggling at his claim.

"Well, I need female servers, how old are you Karen?" Kella asks.

"I'm six!" Mike tells, gingerly placing a small piece of food in his mouth.

"I am Fifteen."

"Good. Call this number and a man named Jamie will tell you where to be tomorrow for you to help serve. It's not a compensating job but it will give you experience so that when you do apply somewhere you can tell them to call Jamie for your reference." Karen just stares at Kella, her hair falling straight and into her face. "And then after you call him I want you to go here." Kella continues writing an address. "It's a place for kids like you." She leaves it at that. "Okay?"

"But…but…I can't leave Mike alone tomorrow…I don't know anyone who can look after him." Karen was so close to crying that Kella can almost smell her tears in her eyes.

"Well, you can bring him to the dinner tomorrow but as for you…" Kella look to Mike, a giant smile on his face. "I know the Yautja are cool, but you are not allowed out of the back. I know you are a child but I don't want you to make the same impression I did and get unwanted attention."

"Okay!" Mike wiggles in his seat.

"Good. Call them when you are done eating." Kella says as she stands.

"Done eating? All we have is the biscuits and water." Mike sticks out his tongue at the food.

"Hey Alice!" Kella calls as she starts to walk away.

"Yeah!" The waitress pokes her head out of the kitchen.

"What ever these two want, on me." She gives the kids one last smile and leaves the diner to try and get her day to go better.

"" "" "" ""

Standing in front of her mirror, Kella places one shirt after another in front of her to decide on what to wear. The dinner was only a few hours away and she needs to be at the banquet hall in a few minutes to make sure everything is perfect. Choosing a long sleeve turtle neck with the back cut out, to properly show her back scars to her Aja, Kella then places on her shoulder guard to be sure the no one will be able to see the out line of her marks. The day is actually the warmest from the past days, but still rather cool that she has to wear a pair of white silk pants beneath her long loincloth. As she walks down the streets she stops by many houses and shops just to see how things are, a few wishing her luck tonight. As Kella makes it to the banquet hall, the large white building with columns reminiscent of the old Roman buildings, she has to smile as everything is perfect from the outside. But as for inside, she has yet to find out. Walking into the welcoming hall, she finds the large baskets of rose petals ready to be laid on the floor before the Yautja come. Her foot steps sound off in the halls as she makes her way through, her sandals making music on the marble floors. She turns into the kitchen to see chaos, but good chaos. The cooks and servers are already running around, making sure that when time comes they can have the meals up and out at a pin drop.

"KELLA!" A small voice sounds and all of the sudden her left leg has a passenger as Mike clamps on.

"Hello." She laughs, picking him up into her arms and walking around with him. "Do you think they are doing a good job?"

"Oh yes." He says, nods rather hotly.

"I have a special job for you and it's really, really important." Kella says, dropping him on one of the high chairs that is sitting by the cutting table. "I need you to be the Inspector of The Food!"

"What's that?" The small boys asks, eye wide in wonder.

"Well, when the servers begin to bring out the food, I need you to look at each one and be sure that they are cool enough for the Yautja. Can you do that for me?"

"Definitely!" Mike yells. Kella looks around and all of the works nod to her in understanding as they know the kid was going to back with them. It's best to give them a job to do to keep them occupied and feeling like they are needed and doing something special. And besides, the cooks and servers already liked Mike as he always had something funny to say.

"Now where is your sister?" Kella asks.

"I am here Caretaker." Karen says with a giant smile as she walks closer. "I can't even say…"

"Do you know what you have to do?" Kella interrupts, not one to really go for the 'thank you for helping' speech.

"Yes." She answers, nodding her head.

"They will be here in a few hours so get yourself as ready as possible." Kella says before giving Mike a pat on the head and leaving the kitchen. She makes her way to the giant hall where the dinner in being held and stares for a moment at how beautiful it really is. All white, a low table in the shape of a large 'U' sits in the middle of the room that can seat all the Yautja, and more if need be. It is perfectly shaped so that everyone can see everyone and the servers can work without having to weave through tables. Small but large enough pillows are scattered around the room so that if a Yautja wished for more comfort they only need to reach. She walks around the table, double checking where everyone would sit. The Clan Leader is to be in the middle with six Elders to his left and Elder Rhd to his right. Kella would be next to him, and then Bthm and the others she knows. Even though she knew she couldn't make it so, Aja is sitting to the far left of the Elders, but she will have a good view of him. Just them she hears the door open and an old friend comes in.

"Hello Kella." His old body makes its way to her.

"Hello Mr. Berlet, how are you?" Kella says, giving him a light hug.

"My old bones are just fine dear. Your shipment is here." He smiles, an uncountable number of laugh lines with it. He leads Kella out and to the back where his old fashioned truck waits with over fifty bottles of aged C'ntlip. Now this little addition to the menu cost Kella a pretty penny, literally. Old coinage has become a collectable and so she traded an old penny for the drinks, a good trade. After all the bottles are moved into the kitchen she says good by to her old friend and watches his old truck putter away. Now all she can do is wait.

"" "" "" ""

The giant smile Aja can't bare to stop is hidden under his as he and the other Yautja stand in front of the building they are to dine in. His Kella is standing alone before the, in total, sixty five Yautja. He has to admit that she looks absolutely stunning. Not only are her cloths wonderfully accenting her curves, the same curves that he will have this night, but her strength and courage is unbelievably arousing. Aja is standing with the larger group as the Elders are in front of him, with the Clan leader in front of them. Kichn, the Clan Leader, is dressed in his Awu'asa as every other hunter is, his mask already looking at Kella as a whole. Slowly Kichn walks forwards, his metal sandals filling the silent air, until he is right in front of her, almost uncomfortable so. Kichn suddenly grasps her chin, but this is expected as Elder Rhd told Kella so. He moves her head to the left, his long hand stretching from the back of her neck with his thumb almost painfully on her jaw. He then moves it to the right, Kella making sure that she is strong but not so with her muscles as any kind of resistance will seem rude. When Kichn makes her face forwards once more, Kella actually anticipating him to move away, like she was told. But he doesn't. He slowly raises his hand up and then one of his fingers traces her sign on her brow, the sign of Protection. After tracing over the small mark several times, Kichn backs away and nods his head.

"I welcome you." Kella says with a low bow. "It is my honor to serve you, and ask that I may."

"You may." Kichn nods his head again and she straightens out.

"Please follow me." Kella beams and starts into the hall. Inside the flower petals are dropped after she walks though, trailed by the Yautja. They follow her into the hall where she stands in the center of the 'U' table, waiting for the hunters to take their seats. Once everyone has sat and taken off their masks, she bows once more.

"I welcome all to this banquet, to this feast that Elder Rhd and myself have designed. I have brought in the delicacies of this planet that I am sure you will adore. And if one does not like any dish provided, please tell your server and they will try to get one that you will enjoy."

"Will there be kiwis?" Kella nearly flinches when someone asks that, but she soon sees that it was Pakka who asked.

"It was meant to be a surprise, but yes, there are plenty of kiwis." Kella laughs, such a giant smile on her face that Aja nearly run over to her in that second to hold her. He has to look to the Elder next to him so that his mind will be momentarily distracted. "I hope you enjoy the few delectable meals we have for you, let's get started." And on queue the doors behind her open and all the servers come out with a bottle of C'ntlip in one hand and five glasses in the other. For every five Yautja there is one server so that they can dedicate themselves to the small group, with one or two having six hunters to serve. "For the few that are here that were with Elder Rhd when in my home, I hope you understand that the C'ntlip served there is of a later season the ones now. But I promise you that this will be just as good."

"Started without us did you?" Elder Rhd thrills, gaining a few laughs as well.

"I personally taste tested everything that is being served. Whether or not that was necessary…" She trails, gaining even more laughs. All the servers pour and drop the glass before their patrons, leaving the bottle between the Yautja. When the servers begin to leave however, Kella goes with them, trailing Karen. Once they get past the doors, Kella grabs the girl gently and pulls her off to the side. But what she doesn't see is that the door is still open and all the Yautja are still silent.

"Did you go to the address I gave you?" She asks Karen.

"We did. Caretaker Kella I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am, I mean…" Suddenly her lips begin quivering in the middle of her sentence and small tears form in her eyes. Kella instantly grabs her in a hug, rubbing her back.

"Shh…don't cry. There is no need to cry." She says calmly.

"But there is."

"I can give you a few reasons not to cry. For one thing you are doing a great job, a wonderful job. Your bother, granted has a very important job… "Kella takes a second to look at the boy as he is sitting on a high stool so that he can look at all the food as it goes out. "…is doing fine here. And you should not cry in front of the Yautja. When they see any female in distress, they purr to make them feel better. And it is such a beautiful sound to hear. But also a little creepy as they do it to all females who need it, so you feel not so special." Karen giggles loudly, her smile returning and tears disappearing. Kella runs a hand through her long blonde hair and sighs. "There now, go clean up and have a drink." The girl nods and starts to move off when Kella remember something. "A NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK!" She orders and Karen giggles once more before getting the food for her patrons. Kella takes a calming breath and walks back into the large hall to see all the Yautja staring at her, and the room silent.

"Is she your pup?" One of the Elders asks.

"Oh goodness no, I have no offspring." She answers, nearly blushing red. The doors open again and the servers come out with a plate of fruits and berries in each hand. Kella walks around the table, with many hunters' eyes following her, as she makes it to her own seat and sits.

"You still have not answered my question as so why you have no pups, Caretaker." Elder Rhd laughs.

"I have not found an Ooman male that I would like to be the father of my pups." Kella says bluntly yet coolly. Elder Rhd then introduces her to the Clan Leader and the other Elders, with some of them remarking how the presentation was already wonderful. When their own plates come to them, Pakka makes an odd announcement.

"We will wait for everyone to have their plates before we eat." He says. It only takes a few minutes, and when everyone does have their food before them, they all look to him. "Now, grab this!" Pakka says, holding up a kiwi, and they all pick one up. "Now, place it in your mouth and bite down." When everyone does it, Kella can only cover her mouth to keep from laughing as every Yautja has kiwi juice squirt from their mouths, an odd sound of the squish accompanying them. Kella can't hold back any longer and bursts laughing, shaking her head to Pakka as with the table in the shape it is, everyone can see everyone.

"Delicious thing." Someone calls out and with that conversations bloomed all over the table.

It didn't take to long for someone to remark to Kella about how quickly she had organized the dinner, which then turned into why decided to become the Caretaker for the Alpha District. However when she explains that she didn't truly decide to, and that it was something needed, they stopped prodding her for a further explanation. By the time the main course of both cooked and uncooked steak came, even the Elders that were originally reluctant to come had started to talk amongst themselves. While Kella kept to talking to the Clan Leader, Elder Rhd and even a few Yautja that were in her home, her first conversation with the others was not like she expected.

"Caretaker Kella reminds you of Her, doesn't she?" An Elder says suddenly, directing his question to Elder Rhd.

"That she does." Elder Rhd thrills, gracefully placing another chunk of animal meat into his mouth.

"Who do I remind you of?" She asks, genuinely curious.

"A Yautja Alpha." A different Elder tells. "The Alpha, She stopped the war with the Creators before this planet was destroyed in the dispute."

"It is not for her to know." Kichn suddenly says, his voice commanding and strong.

"Why should the Caretaker not know?" Elder Rhd asks. "This was her planet when the Creators came, so she should know the history of it. And the Alpha once," He doesn't get to go on.

"ENOUGH!" Kichn roars, most of the hall going silent. And for a few minutes no one moves, everyone looking at each other in aw as no one really knows what to do. But Kella thinks fast in order to fix this.

"I thank you, though, for thinking I may remind you of an old friend. It is an honor to have such a connection to the Yautja. Besides the one I have now." She laughs, a few laughing along with her and discussions were then back to normal.

"You connection goes far back, I suppose." Elder Rhd thrills, taking a shot of C'ntlip.

"And that means?" Someone asks.

"Oh, the story of her grandfather is well known, even of Kella when she was a pup and that little incident, but it is not that which connects her to this group." Elder Rhd tells slowly, smiling all-knowingly.

"And that means?" The same Yautja asks again, this time with amusement.

"After I marked Kella," He starts.

"Father, don't." Aja tries, even going so far as to lean on the table but in that move his and his Kellas eyes connect for a spilt second.

"After I marked Kella," Elder Rhd goes on, not even paying attention to his son. "She was to be sent to a place where she would be brought to her rightful home, but I could not myself so I volunteered my son to do it for me."

"You did anything but volunteer me father, you ordered me." Aja sighs, resting back onto a pillow.

"Aja transported her?" Kichn chuckles, his mood getting better and better as time goes on.

"He did. He carried her to an Office of the Oomans." Elder Rhd laughs deeply at seeing Kellas face distorted in an unreadable mask.

"Oh…now that is just weird, you carried me as a pup?" She asks, leaning back to look at him, but Aja cannot look at her.

"Yes." Aja says bluntly. While he had tried not to look at her, to seem distant, he didn't need to try right now. He had no intention of his Kella knowing that he carried her as a pup.

"Oh goddess…" Kella sighs, trying so hard not to either laugh hysterically, or cry in embarrassment.

"Why so glum?" An Elder thrills in laughter, just one of the many laughing at her.

"Aja and Kella are not on the best of terms as of yet." Elder Rhd says, this time more then a few can't hold back their amusement as both Aja and Kella turn away form each other.

"" "" "" ""

Inside the kitchen Mike is doing his job well, making sure to look at every dish being served, careful that they are all perfect. After a few hours however he has to swipe back his brown hair from his eyes as he is getting rather tired and hot, but in that second he looks up and his stomach drops. He watches in complete horror as one plate leaves without the piece of parsley on top the cooked meat, he missed it. As the server and the plate go out into the main room, Mike thinks fast and jumps off his chair, running to the cook and stealing a bit of the garnish from the table. He runs as fast as he can through the taller people and gets to the door of the main room, waiting for the chance to go out. He looks out through a crack and finds the girl with his target plate, homing in on it. When another server leaves with her own plates, Mike comes out with her, hiding behind her legs and then under the table. He has to sigh thankfully that the Yautja being served the sub par dish is on the side of the table he is, and that the table itself is very wide so he doesn't have to worry about crawling over any claws. When he gets to his best guess of where the plate is, Mike gradually look up over the table and silently congratulates that he is right where he is meant to be.

Slowly Mike reaches a hand up so he can simply throw the piece onto the dish when his small arm is suddenly tugged up, his whole body being ripped from under the table and into the open.

"What are you doing Ooman?" The Yautja holding Mikes hand hisses. But he doesn't answer, only pulling his arm away from the hunter. Kella had warned him not to go out but he did and now he got caught. The hunter growls loudly, causing not only the pup to nearly burst into tears of fear, but the hall to go quiet. He yanks Mikes arm, causing him to flop onto the table when a loud 'thunk' of metal makes the Yautja stop. Slowly he turns his head to the left, and right next to where he was holding the pups arm is a large blade sticking into the table. When he hears a set of small feet walking towards them, the Yautja looks to see the Caretaker coming to them, a soft look on her face. As she gets closer, Kella gently places her hand over where the hunters is, silently asking him to let go. She sits down next to Mike, crossing her legs and wrapping her other arm around his waist. And when the hunter does let go, Mike bursts crying and jumps into her, clinging to her neck in desperation. She rubs his back to calm him, humming in his ear.

"I apologize for the disruption." Kella says to the Yautja to her right.

"Why are there pups even here?" He asks, clearly angry at what has happened.

"He is the brother of a server, and I said it was ok to have the child stay in the back. But why did you not?" Kella asks to the small boy in her arms, his hiccups slowly stopping.

"His plate isn't perfect." Mike says, lifting his head from her neck and wiping a few stray tears.

"Well, it is okay if you miss one." She laughs, hugging him lightly.

"But if I miss one and it's the only one then I failed." He says.

"Failed in doing what?" The Yautja asks, now more intruded in the exchange then angry.

"It is this pup's job to make sure that all the plates served are to the best they can be, and I think he saw something of yours that was not right." Kella says and looks to the table to see the bit of parsley. She picks it up and shows it to the hunter, he then looks at the other plates and sees that he is in fact missing that little leaf. "But as for you Mike!" Kella laughs and chucks him into the air, his tiny body flying high. Mike giggles loudly as he falls down into her hands, but Kella turns him around and grasps his feet in one of her hands and then lifts him, holding him with an out stretched arm upside down. And then Kella makes a surprised sound as she looks around her sitting body, under her arm and around her back, pretending to not know where he is. She shrugs it off in amusement, playing with Mike as his brown hair falls straight off his hanging body.

"You gave that job to a pup?" A Yautja to her left asks.

"He needed something to do and I know that pup could do it well. And he tried his hardest and I am proud of him." Kella can practically hear Mikes smile to her side. "But I just don't know where he went to!" She laughs, looking under the table for him even though she knows he is in her hands.

"Caretaker Kella!" Mike calls and she looks at him with surprise on her face.

"There you are! I have been looking for you! Where have you been?" She asks, still letting him hang upside down.

"Just hanging." Mike giggles, his little voice echoing. Kella shakes her head and stands up, throwing him over her shoulder and walking into the kitchen.

"You say she has not mated?" Clan Leader Kichn remarks, not really directing his question to anyone in particular.

"She shows no evidence of being pregnant. As for her mating, that is not our business." Elder Rhd tells, taking another bite of this thing called 'potato'. He was lagging in eating his meal, but he only wishes to savor the tastes of the world. Aja on the other hand can't help but let his mind wonder as his fathers words hit home. He has to hold back a laugh of joy because he is mating with her, and it is his business now. But not only that, after watching the exchange between the fellow hunter, the Ooman pup and her, Aja can't understand why Kella has not had pups of her own. She can clearly protect them as a mother should, she has the ability and, as he has seen unfortunately, Ooman males to wish for her. Suddenly Aja growls loudly at the thought of Kella mating with that Ooman again, and even wondering if she would have his pups.

"Cannot hold your anger for the Caretaker until the night is over?" Bthm thrills from Ajas far right.

"Why do you hold such ill feelings towards the Ooman?" An Elder asks, but thankfully someone answers for him as Aja has no idea as to how to answer that.

"He is angry because I eluded him the second time I met him in my life." Kella responds as she and all the serves come out. The girls retrieve all the other lagging plates before going back into the kitchen. Kella walks a little into the middle of the 'U' shaped table because it is time for her surprise.

"You escaped Aja?" Kichn laughs, the first real laugh she has seen all night.

"It was not easy, and I did not escape unscathed." Kella laughs, not looking over to Aja and him not looking at her. "However, now that all are finished with the final meal, I think it is time to give all of you what only few have experienced." And on queue the serves come back out with long square plates full of chocolate from all over the word. The girls place the platter of the brown food in front of their patrons and leave. When each group has their own serving of many different kinds of chocolate, Kella goes on. "I will ask that everyone would pick up the small square piece of the dessert that is on the far, top left corner of your plate." When they all do with the piece of chocolate in their hands, she smiles at the few Yautja that were in her home that already have the chocolate in their mouth. "Now please place it on your tongue and close your mouth around it. Let it melt with the heat and enjoy." Very slowly each hunter places their piece in their mouth and soon the whole room is as quiet as if it is empty. Kella just stands in the middle and looks around at all the Yautja, feeling so much pride of in the dinner that she has held. She sighs with happiness as her eyes find her Ajas, but she rips them away to make sure no one guessed anything else but hate is between them.

As the pieces of chocolate start to dwindle away, Kella goes to sit in her spot but simply rests there in silence, watching in aw as those who could talk, whispered. Whispering as if they talked to loudly the chocolate would vanish, or someone would steal it away.

It has been a wonderful night. And when the dinner is done, Kella and Aja will have an exquisite one.

"" "" "" ""

Authors note: I sincerely apologize for the lateness of this update. I try to pride myself on updating at least every fifteen days but this is extremely late. So I am sorry.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell (It depends what you think is a 'big fight') and Oak Tree Woman.

On aff .net: Muse of Scrolls and Death God Dist.

Pronunciations

Kichn - Kitchen


	10. The Fun Part and The Kids

The History of Tomorrow

The Fun Part and The Kids

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

**The beginning of this chapter is more for the fun of it, just playing around with Kella messing with Aja and vise versa. And then, finally, we get into the REAL plot of this story. You didn't think I would write something that was only romance now did you?**

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

"I do not think I can begin to say how wondrous that was." Aja whispers into Kellas ear as he carries her to the bed. He plops her down and nestles his face in her neck, carefully nipping at her with his mandibles.

"I am just glad it went over well!" She sighs and wraps her arms around his shoulders, her fingers gently feeling his textured skin.

"It went over very well." He purrs and licks up her neck, his tongue then sliding over her lips. Kella opens her mouth for him and Aja plunges into her, his mandibles wrapped around her face and tongue dancing with hers. With a free hand, Aja takes off her shoulder guard and tosses it to the floor with the rest of his own armor, a loud 'clink' sounding from the connection.

"WHOA!" Kella yells suddenly and pushes his up by his shoulders. Aja just stairs down at her with shock in his eyes, wondering what was going on. "You carried me as a child?" She asks and he groans in awkwardness. Aja rolls over and lay's next to his Kella, a hand over his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" She whispers as she moves closer, her chin planting on his shoulder.

"I don't want to remember it, let alone tell it!" Aja breathes out. "That was the most embarrassing day of my life!" He claims.

"I was your most embarrassing day?" Kella says sadly, a little hurt that she would have made him feel like that.

"No, Kella no." Aja sooths and cups her face, bringing it closer to his. "It was embarrassing to hold an Ooman pup like one of my own, when I don't even carry my own like that!" He laughs, but Kellas face is still gloomy. But not for the same reason. It wasn't that he had carried her. And it wasn't that he felt odd about it. It was the realization that her Aja already has offspring of his own, a life and a family and here she is, on her bed with him.

"So you thought your father telling me would be better then you?" She says slyly, hiding her sadness at the fact he has already lived his life when she hasn't even begun hers. Aja growls suddenly and jumps on her, almost sitting on her hips but sure not to hurt her. He smiles down at her shocked face which soon turned into a playful glair.

"I think it even odder to talk of my father when we are in the midst of mating." Aja purrs as he slides his hands under the hem of her shirt.

"We're mating are we? I thought we were having a conversation." She says coolly but soon giggles loudly as he gently lets his claws tickle up her sides, moving the shirt up slowly before pulling it completely off her head, and into the corner of the room. Aja sits up and looks down at her inquisitively, almost judging her but in a very mischievous manner.

"My Kella…" He sighs and she smiles. Kella sits up, placing small and light kisses as she goes up his body, then pulls him down to be eye to eye.

"My Aja…" She says back, her tongue slowly leaving her own mouth to trace his. Aja purrs loudly and rolls over on the bed with her in his arms. They missed each other more then thought possible.

"" "" "" ""

Ajas mind slowly awakens to a very odd but delicious smell. He opens his eyes and smiles when the sun light makes Kellas bed glow, the softness of it almost too wonderful to leave. But that smell, he needs to know what it is. After grabbing and rightfully attaching his metal loincloth, Aja walks down stairs as his nose tells him where to go, and it seems to be the kitchen.

"How did I know bacon would get you up?" Kella laughs and smiles at her Aja, him visibly sleepy from just getting up. Suddenly he yawns at such a loud tenor that she has to cover her ears, but her eyes still on him and her mind saying that he looks so cute. After scratching his stomach, Aja moves to stare down at the large metal plate with strips of searing meat. Just as he is about to grab one, Kella grabs him first. "They are not done yet and they are very hot." She says, her hand moving up his arm, her fingers tickling his skin higher and higher. Aja groans at her touch and picks her up, placing her on the white counter top and encasing her in his arms. Kella just smiles up at him, her doing that small gesture of biting her bottom lip that Aja thinks is so arousing. But when he starts sniffing the air and looking back between her and the food, Kella gives up and waits for the bacon to finish with him. Once she places it on a separate plate for him, it's gone in less then a minute. But as he is downing not only the meat but the other things she calls 'boiled eggs', Kella walks into her living room and turns on the television. Nearly unnoticeable as it is built into the wall, this is one of the only things Oomans refused to let go once the take over was done. All that really is shown are old shows from back in the day, old movies and news. She sits herself down on the giant white couch and then is soon unaccompanied by Aja at the other end.

"What is this?" He asks and relaxes back into the soft furniture under him.

"Its call T.V. and it's an Ooman device that allows you to watch programs." But when Kella only gets an odd look of confusion, she starts to explain. About an hour later, they settled that it is a reenactment that is recorded and then played for others to see. She just didn't want to get into it any further.

Aja has to leave by the time dinner rolled around, but was soon back with news that every hunter is allowed to hunt as they please until they are scheduled to leave, and that they may go anywhere on the planet to hunt. And he wants to stay with her. And of course Kella said 'he better'. By that time he had basically moved in, Aja and Kella had a pretty good system of their days. At nights when she would sleep, he would demand to be with her in bed, despite the fact he would sleep with her only when he needed. And on nights when they were both to exhausted to do much else but fall asleep, well…that was okay too. Aja had seemed to master the idea of the T.V., and is permanently attached to the remote control. The old re-runs of classic and favorite shows is something that would keep his attention for way to long. But when ever Kella tries to get him away from it, he would simply wrestle her into watching it with him.

This night however, Kella refused to stay with him, claiming to be to tired and slinking up into bed. Aja doesn't mind though as he is completely engulfed in The Godfather trilogy, watching it over and over. The second one is his favorite. He now has the knowledge of what is shown on each channel and with careful claws, he turns it to a movie channel, but doesn't see what he thought should be there.

"Coming up next, 'Jurassic Park!'" A voice comes from it and just as Aja is about to change it to another channel, the most ominous and loudest roar is heard and he pauses. Maybe he can watch what ever is next.

About an hour later…

"Kella…" She hears, the voice stealing her from her dreams. "Kella!" She hears again, more insistent. "Kella are you asleep?"

"Yes! Yes, I am asleep Aja!" Kella groans, wrapping her well used bed sheets around her. She hears her Aja growl in impatience and then she suddenly feels her and her white blanket lifted up and being carried down stairs. "What do you want Aja? I have to sleep! I have things to do tomorrow!" She claims as he lay's down on the couch with her body and blanket on top of him.

"Where are they?" Aja asks in a strong and serious tone.

"Where are who?" Kella whines and turns around to face the T.V. She stares blankly at the old dinosaur movie, not understanding what he wants.

"Where are the beasts? Where can I find them?" He asks and it clicks. Kella instantly bursts laughing, her having to hold her stomach as it hurts so much. "I am speaking of the hunt Kella, this is very serious!"

"They are gone Aja!" Kella giggles and then turns away from the screen to hide her face in his neck, still so very tired.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"The Creators killed them when they found the planet. They are all gone." She yawns.

"But I see them, one took a bite out of some ones leg! It cannot be a projection." Aja sighs, clear disappointment in his voice.

"That is exactly what they are Aja." She yawns and then giggles when he snorts in anger.

"Pity." Aja growls and then allows her to fall asleep.

When Kella woke up, she was already late as Aja didn't seem to find it important to wake her when her alarm went off, claiming that having a certain time to wake was absurd. She just kicked him and ran to get dressed. By the time she got out of the house, after pleading with him not to mess up her armory again, and made it to the main street, she was hounded by the people she was hoping to avoid. Instantly tens of reporters and journalists run up her, crowding her and asking question after question. The peoples election for a new governor was just days away and everyone was insisting for her to give her opinion. And until recently she didn't have one, but now she does.

"Alright! One question at a time!" Kella yells, hushing everyone.

"Who are you voting for?" A woman asks, her ugly red lipstick smeared from the elbows of the others.

"I can't tell you that." Kella answers slyly.

"Who do you stand behind?" Someone else asks. "Who do you think would be best to take hold of the position?"

"Now why would you want to know about what I think?" Kella asks as she slowly starts to walk backwards and to her shop, but they follow her.

"Come on Caretaker Kella! Just answer the question!" A man yells, almost angry. And that's when she has had enough. Kella grabs hold of a long blade and wields it in front of her, all of them backing off a little, but not going away like she hoped.

"I answer, you go!" She says and gets them all to agree. "I am personal friends with a Mr. Adam Becks, and I have to say that he has already impressed me with plans he has told me of. Plans that even though he is not in Office, he has made to help this city. Is that good enough?" She asks and they back off. When Kella finally gets to the shop, she is hounded for being late and having been corralled by reports is not a good enough excuse for her Uncle.

"Something's different." Her aunt says with a twinkle in her green eyes. "What's up with you?

"Nothing." Kella says as she hauls another case of scrap metal into the shop doors.

"Oh I know its something Kella!" Aunt Ellen says and follows her in. Kella dumps her load in the large area and heads back to the truck.

"And how do you know it's something?" Kella asks back, a sly smile on her face that she made sure no one could see.

"Because your differnent!" Ellen explains, placing her tiny hands on her tiny waist.

"How am I different?" Kella keeps playing with her Aunt as she goes.

"I know what it is!" The petite woman giggles, clapping her hands in excitement. "You met a nice Ooman male to settle down with haven't you?" Kella nearly falls down in surprise at her Aunts words, coughing roughly to hold down her laughter at her.

"No! No I swear!" Kella tries, her Aunt just 'uhuh'ing her. "I swear on my fathers' grave that I have not 'met a nice Ooman male to settle down with'." At that Ellen sighs and walks back into the shop.

"We're never going get any children from you are we?" She yells and Kella goes back to work.

That night Kella came home with a nice dinner of giant steaks, some to cook and some not to. Aja had already filled up with most of her food during the day, claiming that he needed to keep his interest away from her weapons. But she knew he had been down there. So she simply kissed his cheek and went about cooking.

"What are you doing?" Aja asks, worried about what he is seeing.

"Just trust me!" Kella laughs, spooning in another dollop of peanut butter to use as part of her marinating sauce for her dinner.

"I do trust you Kella, but not that stuff!" He says and points to her sauce the steaks are soaking in. "You Oomans! You have such weird ways to eat!" As Aja went on, Kella just gets more frustrated at him talking and so in desperation, she scoops a giant glob of peanut butter on her finger and before he can stop her, she pushes it into his mouth in the middle of a word. She wipes the sticky mixture around his mouth without scraping her self and then takes her finger out. Aja stagers back as he tries to understand what just happened. He starts licking and moving his mouth around and around to try and get the thick paste from his mouth. But nothing is helping as it is only slowly going away. He leans over the sink and in one powerful push, the stuff flies out and into it. He starts to lick away the remnants with his ever so nimble tongue and turns slowly to the female who did this. The look on Kellas face was one of overconfidence, one that soon turned to fear at seeing her Aja being somewhat angry. Kella drops everything and dashes out of the kitchen, loud footsteps following her. But just as she is turning into the living room, Aja appears in front of her with a sick smile on his face, Kella knowing that he is done being mad and is now well involved with chasing her. She turns on her heal and runs up the stairs, both of them hoping the night would include that room. But just as one foot hits her floor, Aja grabs her waist and lifts her up, Kella screaming in surprise as he is so fast! He drags her to the bed and drops her rather roughly on it.

"You think you are funny female?" He asks in a hiss, Kella really unsure if he is angry or just playing. She starts to back up on the bed but he grabs her ankles, pulling her back. Aja leans down on the bed over her and plunges his tongue into her mouth, both of the groaning from the sensation. Kella arches her back up, wanting to feel more of him on her skin. Ajas hands slowly move up her legs, over her thighs and to her hips. He tugs at them roughly, knowing that when ever he did it his Kella would make the most wondrous sound, and she didn't hold back. Kella squeals a laugh, something he finds so strangely beautiful and unique. Let's just say by the time they were finished the steaks were properly marinated.

"" "" "" ""

Three days later Mr. Adam Becks was in Office and Kella was finally left alone. She never neglected her duties of protecting her district, not even with the incentive that her Aja may be in her home. Every now and then he would leave to either hunt, which she adamantly ordered to see any trophies, or to visit the ship and his father. Elder Rhd would never come to her home unannounced any longer, always telling her that he is stopping by. Aja would of course go scarce, simply waiting for his father to call him to actually go back to his Kellas house where they would pretend to hate each other, even getting into mock fights. Every night now Kella will call her Aja a marshmallow head as one of the large, white puffs of eatable foam had 'accidentally' left her hand and hit his head…all the way down and across the table.

Still rather sleepy and groggy as it is the middle of the night, all Kella can do is watch with a gratifying smile as Aja places on his Awu'asa, each piece coming together as one. She snuggles into the pillow and groans angrily at him, Aja only smiling and shaking his head. He has to note that sometimes she was rather childish, but she is young in both his and Oomans standards. Once he has all but his mask on, Aja walks to the bed but in defiance Kella moves the covers over her head, trying to be mean but he can almost hear the smiles from her. He sits down next to her and leans over her, one hand on her hip and the other making its way to the top of the blanket.

"I will only be gone for five Ooman nights." He tries but gets nothing. "Say good-bye to me my Kella." He purrs into the sheets, even rubbing up and down her side, but still nothing. Aja thrills in laughter when he tickles her side and she giggles, her voice so melodic.

"I don't want you to go for so long!" Kella finally huffs, pushing the white blanket down but not looking at the Yautja above her.

"I have been invited to hunt with the Elders Kella. This is very important."

"I know." She says defeated. "But for so long?"

"We are heading to a different part of this planet." Aja smiles at her face, still beautiful even though she is sad.

"You have no idea how lucky you are that you get to go places Aja." Kella tells even sadder. Aja grimaces softly, always the thought that his Kella is something his people own in the back of his mind, not giving them access to roam the planet one of the rules set. He moves a free hand to the back of her head and makes Kella look at him.

"When I get back I promise to take you anywhere you want to." He says quietly. But when Kella doesn't give him a reaction, just an emotionless face, he has to wonder if she didn't understand.

"Like…outside Acropolis?" Kella finally asks, wearily.

"Outside Acropolis. I want you to see this planet as I do my Kella." Slowly but surly a small smile creeps on her pink lips, though Aja can tell she doesn't want to smile, but can't stop it. He thrills at her as he knows Kella has forgiven him, leaning down to trace those smiling lips with his mandibles. Kella suddenly trusts herself up and wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him and driving her tongue into his mouth. Aja simply enjoys her touches, her taste but pushes her away. "Kella, I don't think showing up to meet the Elders smelling of our mating is wise." He says as he swipes a stray lock of red hair from her face.

"Get back here as soon as you can Aja." Kella says strongly, her eyes piercing his. "Promise me."

"I promise." Aja purrs and with one last breath to catch her scent, he places on his mask, turns on his cloak and leaves her room. When the door closes behind him, Kella suddenly feels like crying. She rests back into bed and smells the scent of him, moaning softly when his aroma fills her. Now all she has to do it sleep and wait for him to come back.

"" "" "" ""

When the sun rises, she is still sound asleep despite the fact her alarm had gone off, twice. But when someone calls over and over, she begrudgingly gets up.

"Yes? Hello?" Kella says half asleep and in a huff.

"Kella Matthews?" A mans voices fills her room. She snuggles into a pillow and nearly groans at her Ajas smell.

"Speaking." She finally says.

"Ms. Matthews, this is Mr. Jackson from the Mastiff Center. We have what you are looking for." Instantly Kella jumps out of bed and runs to get dressed.

"I'll be right there!" She screams and ends the conversation.

"" "" "" ""

Sitting in the back of the society room, Aja sips his drink slowly as he watches a projection from the hunt he had just been on for the past few days. He has to admit that the Ooman projections are much more amusing. After a while though his thoughts to turn his Kella and so he didn't notice when other hunters joined him. They didn't seem to mind that he was not paying attention to what was being said, Aja simply staring into nothing. But his mind was anything but doing nothing. He keeps going over what he is doing with Kella. He enjoys mating with her. He enjoys talking with her. He enjoys her, period. But what of it? What can come of he and Kella being together? They must hide it from their peoples. Who knows what his world will think of this now? Kella is young, and has yet to have offspring and become the mother he knows she wants to be. Aja always noticed how his Kella liked to be with other Ooman pups, even going on about a close friend of hers who is with child. Aja knows she cannot, must not have that with him. And somewhere deep inside he hates that fact. But they are together now and all Aja is thinking of is what he is going to do to her when he gets back into her bed this night.

"What troubles you Aja?" Someone asks, stealing him from his juicy thoughts of his Kella. Aja slowly turns his head to find his father looking at him oddly, including a few others as well.

"Nothing father." Aja answers, both knowing it is a lie and both not willing to call on it.

"We have not seen much of you at the DropShip." Elder Rhd says like it didn't mean anything.

"I have been hunting." He says plainly, trying hard not to lie to his father. "I plan on going farther then the outskirts of the Ooman city though. I have already requested a small jumper."

"Are you hunting alone or inviting others?" A different Yautja asks, a few in on the conversation before Aja was. But at the question, Aja knows that he needs to be careful or some might suspect something.

"If you want to come along you can, but I do not know where exactly I am going." Aja says.

"Going to find the scenery that is most pleasing to your eyes?" Elder Rhd laughs, using words from Jed from a past conversation.

"Perhaps." Aja says with a slight smile.

When the DropShip finally gets back on Ooman ground, Aja takes his time so not to seem overly eager to leave the ship. The sun is past its noon high by the time he starts making his way to his Kella, his body cloaked to all as he jumps over roof tops and runs through streets. A strange but welcome feeling comes to him when he sees her home again, the white color a stark contrast to the grays and black tones of the others. He makes his way to her balcony and opens the door with a smile, she knew he was going to be back today. The sight of her made bed gives him a funny feeling of him needing to mess it up, just for funs sake but he decides not to. There was something about Kella, and her things and life that makes him feel so young sometimes. Aja takes off his mask but the second it leaves his hand and falls to the bed he smells a male. But it's different somehow. He takes a deep breath and has to control himself from growling at the though of his Kella mating with another male, but in the aroma he can tell two things: one is the male is not Ooman, and two in the male is not Yautja. But he knows it is a male. Aja unsheathes a long blade and slowly makes his way out of the room, the door creaking softly as he goes.

"Just stay." He hears Kellas voice tell someone to stay and all of the sudden Aja is furious. She has someone in her home, a male someone. With a sneer he jumps off the stairs, unwilling to simply walk down them, and runs into his favorite room, the T.V. room. But Aja stops dead when he sees no Ooman, no Yautja, and no Kella for that matter. But only a small, white, moving ball of fluff. Sitting back on four legs, Aja notes that the beast is just as white as her furniture but with large black eyes and what he assumes a black nose. Suddenly the white ball stands on its four legs and a long appendage starts to wag behind it and then it makes the strangest sound. Its mouth opens and a sharp, high pitched bark comes from the beast and on instinct Aja roars back. What he expected was the ball to roar back, or become defensive. But when the small white fluff squeals like it was hurt and then runs into the kitchen, Aja instantly knows he did something wrong. "Aja!" Kella yells in anger, his suspicions of being in trouble confirmed. With the ball in her arms, she walks to him with a scowl on her face. "Why did you do that?" Kella asks.

"What is that?" Aja asks back, putting his blade away.

"It's a puppy!" Kella says with a twinkle in her eye.

"YOU HAVE A PUP!" He barks in shock, not understanding that the white thing could be a pup.

"No not a pup, a puppy! A baby of a domestic animal." She laughs as she pets the puppy in her arms, the long addition on in rump flailing around again. "He is a Tibetan Mastiff but I haven't chosen a name yet. Say hi!" Kella says and moves the white thing in front of Ajas face. For about a minute the two just smell each other, the puppy reaching its large head towards the Yautja. A Tibetan Mastiff puppy is quite large, about the size of a two year old Ooman and it seems the one in Kellas hands likes Aja. All that can be heard are two separate sniffs from each of them, Ajas mandibles moving slowly in odd ways. And then the puppy suddenly sticks out his long tongue and licks Aja right between the eyes. He rears back and uses the back of his hand to wipe away the wet from his face, Kella laughing while trying to hold the heavy puppy. Just then a buzzer sounds and she says something about a roast and then hands Aja the white ball, telling him to be very, very gentle. Aja lets the light weight thing simply lay on his hand while Kella runs into the kitchen. Once she is out of the room, he maneuvers the white thing around and lifts it to eye level. It opens its mouth, a long pink tongue flopping out, and begins to pant, its tail wagging again.

"What?" Aja asks it, not sure if it speaks. And it did, kind of. The ball barks again, its legs and body moving funnily in his large hands. "That is a very annoying sound." He tells it.

"That's how they talk." Kella says as she comes back into the room with a ball in her hand. She takes back the puppy and places him on the ground and then to Ajas shock, she tosses the ball a little away and it goes after it. But its small mouth can't get a good grip on it so it simply rolls it back to her.

"It talks?" Aja asks as he knees down beside her as the puppy barks at the ball in her hands.

"Stop calling him an 'it'. And besides, we all have our own language." She says is a funny voice while petting the white balls underbelly. Aja just looks at the scene and then bursts into speaking in Yautja, the clicks, barks and chirps instantly getting the puppies attention. Kella just looks to her Aja as he goes on and on like she could understand him. "You better not be swearing at me." She says when he is done.

"No." Aja simply barks back and moves to the kitchen, the white ball following his heals. So as he gets to the tiled floor of the kitchen, he not only hears his own clawed toes hammering the floor, but two more pairs. Aja turns around to find the puppy right behind him and Kella laughing.

"He likes you." He doesn't say anything to that. Kella just shakes her head and picks the puppy up again, putting him on the counter.

"Should it be on the counter?" Aja asks, only getting a stern look from the female beside him. "Should HE be on the counter?" He asks again.

"Soon he will be to big too so I don't care." Kella tells, scathing the puppy behind the ears.

"How big will he get?" He asks as he bends low to look at what was cooking in her over, already feeling hungry from just the smell. Ooman food didn't seem so disgusting now that he has tasted a few things.

"About as big as me." Kella laughs as Ajas reaction but doesn't ask anything more as just the thought that a small animal could get so large impresses him. "So what should we name him?"

"Name him?"

"Well, I can't go on calling him puppy and you better not go on calling him it."

"What about Tarei'hasan?" Aja thrills in laughter.

"I don't think I would like to call our puppy a small bug, or an unworthy opponent." Kella scolds as she starts to get the puppies dinner of strange smelling puppy food. Aja just laughs and picks the puppy up from the counter, its tail hitting the side of his arm as he sits on the ground with it in his lap.

"There is a large fruit on my home planet that is this color and about the same size. But it is not furry and I don't think if I open him, he will smell as sweet."

"What fruit?" Kella asks as she sits a little away from the two males in her life to watch them.

"It is called Naxa and it smells and tastes wonderful. But not like you." Aja purrs and the puppy bark rapidly at the sound. They laugh for a moment before Aja plays with purring and barking back at the puppy before he decides to play with the ball again. When the puppy runs back to Kella she picks him up and looks right into his eyes.

"Hello Naxa." She says and both the puppy and Aja seem to like the name. For about an hour, since they had nothing to do but wait for the food to finish and anything else would take longer, Aja and Naxa played in the larger room. Every now and then Aja would growl and Naxa would growl back, enticing a new round of laughter from the Yautja.

"" "" "" ""

A few days later, Kella leaves Aja sound asleep with Naxa nestled into what used to be her spot on his arm. The two are inseparable now that they have almost a basic way of talking down. A small series of barks from Naxa, according to Aja, means he must go outside to do his business. And few more things Kella was shocked that the small puppy has learned as well. But sure to not wake either, she had a shower and dressed in silence. It was rather early in the morning so every now and then she would yawn from being up. The weather had turned chilly so pants were a must, but with the cold came dread as Kella knew Aja would leave when the snow came. With a last look up the stairs, Kella smiles and steps outside. She closes the door behind her and starts to fiddle with her small pocket book of today's to-dos when she stops in the middle of her walk way. She stairs straight ahead at the house in front of her and then slowly turns her head to the left, feeling someone there. But it was not someone but some people. Sitting on her lawn are twenty five young Oomans, all looking at her with wide eyes and open mouths. But at the front of them all is none other the Aaron, the blond haired, blue eyed boy who Kella had sent, along with the others found, to a detox center. Kella just stares at them blankly with no expression in hopes that one of them would say something first, making the awkwardness of finding them at her house grow every second.

"Hello Caretaker Kella." Aaron finally says, his voice strong and loud.

"Hello Aaron." She says back but does not move. "What are all of you doing here?"

"We are clean." A young Asian girl says, her thin lips turned into a large smile and her eyes tearing.

"We were released from the detox center yesterday." Aaron begins. "And while in there we were all talking. And now we want to talk to you."

"Talk to me about what?" Kella asks but still not moving, a little worried about what is going on. Aaron stands, followed by the others, and he walks to be in front of her.

"We want to be like you Caretaker. We…" He pauses and his mouth starts to move as if the words are there, but are unable to be spoken.

"Stop. Think. Process. Speak." Kella instructs and after a few seconds the boy starts again.

"We want to be like you Caretaker Kella. We want to be Caretakers to, like you. We want to be trained so that we can protect other Districts so Acropolis can be what it was when it was built. We are young, and we all want to do this!" Aaron nearly yells.

"So want to have the kind of responsibility? You want that duty and the task to take care of something as volatile as a District?" Kella asks, her face finally turning into the emotion of suspicion.

"Yes Caretaker Kella." A few say.

"Are you stupid?" Kella yells. "I did not choose to do this! It was needed!"

"We are needed!" A tall black boy says stoutly.

"Who says?" Kella retorts, her arms crossing over her chest.

"No one need say it." A tiny girl with a voice smaller then a mouse calls out. "Not all that is to be done needs to be said for it to be done. You see this city as it is Caretaker, and you cannot be for all. But we can." Kella just raises an eyebrow at the girl, almost not understanding what she had just said.

"Jill isn't from around here." Aaron peeps up with a smile. "She is saying that just because the need is not spoken about, does not mean we are not needed. The city needs people like you Caretaker."

"And you can be like me?" Kella laughs, biting her tongue a little to try to hold it down but unable to.

"We can try." A deep voice sounds in the back.

"Do you realize that I trained from birth until I was twenty to be what I am today?" She asks.

"We can train harder, longer, faster. Learn more and become like you so we can help." A girl says, almost sounding snotty.

"You kids are delusional." Kella says and starts to walk away.

"We just want to help!" Aaron runs in front of her. "Like you! Just think about it! Not only are you helping the Alpha District, but every other one as well. Heck, there are twenty-five of us! We can go to other cities and do what you have! We just…We need you Caretaker Kella." For a moment Kella stares into Aarons blue eyes, searching him intently and finding only truth. When she looks to the other kids, she sees the same.

"Alright." Kella says and then walks to her morning appointment. When she gets to the main sidewalk she turns to them one last time. "You have no idea what you guys just got yourselves into."

"" "" "" ""

Authors note: Again, so sorry for the lateness of this. I feel stupid at making you wait so long.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: ben revell and Oak Tree Woman

On aff .net: prairiefire, Anon, Kehlan, ..., Muse of Scrolls, and to Death God Dist.

Alright! So I hope this chapter made you laugh because that is what I was going for. But with what happened in the end, I hope now we can get into the real plot of this story. Thanks for reading.

E.M.


	11. Grasp

The History of Tomorrow

Grasp

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

Aaron's knee bounces in nervousness on the grass as he and the other twenty-four kids are waiting for the Caretaker to come back. The cool breeze is welcome to all of them as they have been stuck in the detox center for too many days, the C'ntlip slowly leaving their bodies for good. His head moves from side to side, looking at everyone to make sure that they are still awake. He doesn't want to know what would happen if Kella comes back to find one asleep. Aaron runs a softly shaking hand through his blonde hair, hoping it would calm him for when he sees her again. But as his eyes roam the sidewalk to find her and another man coming towards them, he can't help but let his heart beat faster then ever thought possible. He has to remark that when he first met Caretaker Kella, he was very afraid of her. But with the time he had with her and with what she did for him and the others, his fear had turned to admiration, and now he has completely fallen in love with her.

Aaron motions to the others and they stand up, anticipating the Caretaker to turn down her small walk way to speak to them. But when she doesn't even look at them, her attention firmly with the plump older man beside her, Aaron is baffled at what she is doing. He nearly yells out the question when the two turn down to the house beside Caretaker Kellas, but he holds himself back. Aaron strains his ears, turning his head ever so slightly but gets only the word 'purchase' from the man before he and the Caretaker enter the house.

"What's going on?" Someone asks from behind him.

"I don't know, but we shouldn't question Caretaker Kella. She knows what she is doing." Aaron says and then sits back down, not knowing how long she would be gone again.

Just over an hour later, Kella reemerges from the house, everyone standing once more. She walks to the sidewalk with the fat man again and then to their shock, Kella bows down to him. Aaron clearly hears her thanking him for his services and then he gives her a small set of keys before walking away. For a minute or two, the Caretaker simply rustles the keys in her hand, still not looking at any of them.

"Follow me, now." Kella yells suddenly and they all jolt across the front lawns as she walks back into the house. They all follow suit in taking off what they are wearing for shoes and leave them by the door. "Sit." She orders. Kella moves to stand before the front window as the twenty-five kids all sit in front of her.

Kella takes a moment and stares at each face before her, some of them holding her stare, some not. She has to note, sadly, that some of the kids must be no older then eleven, the oldest maybe fourteen. She also has to wonder how all the kids came to be in Acropolis. She may be knowledgeable of most of the families in her city, but she has to admit that she has never seen these kids before as she would have recognized them, most of them at least. One is blacker then night, with eyes so bright brown they look like a tree sitting in a valley, soaking in the sun. Another so pale white but covered from head to toe in freckles, hair almost the colors of carrots. And then the small Asian girl, Jill Aaron had called her, so awkward in sitting, her gangly arms and legs seemingly dumbfounded at what to do. Kella has to bite her tongue to keep from asking how they all came to be in her city, but that will come later.

"This is my house." She starts. "But so is the one to the left. This house is where you will all stay for however long it takes. There are rules. First and foremost, you have all come to me willingly and I will never accept someone backing out. Giving up is not an option in this world. And because you have all come out clean, I know you will do well in life as you survived it." For about half an hour, Kella lists off whatever comes to mind for rules. From the time to wake up and ready when the sun peaks the horizon, to cleaning up their messes and curfew. In this house, there are six rooms that can be used as bedrooms. She will have to separate them when she learns their age and maybe then into genders. As she lists her rules though, the last one seems to run her for a tizzy. "There will be no mating in this house. Not between you or anyone who is brought in here."

"What's mating?" A small girl with brown hair so thick it made her body look minuscule asks. But at her question, Kella is tongue tied.

"Hands up for who else doesn't know what mating is?" Kella asks, eleven lone hands rising. "Alright, when I am done, I will meet all of you in another room. For now, all of you will stay in here until your beds and things come. You will live with what I give you until you receive compensation so you can purchase things of your own. I do not work like the White Dragon, I am not expecting any of you to pay me back for anything." Kella pauses to wet her mouth and throat, her mind still reeling at what is going on. "I will never allow you to ever go hungry again, so for lunch I am having a small plate delivered for each. And then you will wait for the delivery of your furniture. After that, it will be close to dinner and I will bring you the food when I have finished cooking. Any questions?" No one speaks. Kella just nods and motions the eleven to another room, the feared 'mating' talk about to be told.

"" "" "" ""

Utterly exhausted and even a little uncomfortable, Kella stagers into her house rubbing her temples to get rid of a headache. She is just about to head upstairs when she sees the door to her basement armory wide open. Throwing her fall jacket onto her couch, Kella smiles at herself for finally catching her Aja in the act, she has never actually seen him in there before, after the first time of course. She makes her way down as quiet as possible, but even if she was trying to make noise, Kella wouldn't have been heard as loud Yautja laughter is all there is. Kella turns the corner and with unbelieving steps she sees the most adorable sight she had ever set her eyes on. Aja is sitting cross-legged on the ground with a small knife in his hand, his wrist twisting at odd angles. And there, following the light as it is reflected from the blades shiny sides, Naxa is chasing around the small slit of light around the room, barking hysterically at it whenever he gets to it.

"Do I want to know why there was a mob of youth outside?" Aja asks, not taking his eyes off the white fur ball.

"I will tell you later." Kella sighs as she sits down next to him, resting her head on his arm.

"" "" "" ""

Aja leans on the patio door frame, arms crossed in front of him in protest as he watches Kella cook all the cuts of beef she had bought for him being made for her new charges. His eyes roam down her body and many things come into his mind. A few ideas of what he will do to her that night, a lot of respect for her as a female, and now so much pride as a teacher that he can't help but smile. Aja sighs loudly in a fake fit of anger but his mandibles still high in a grin.

"I'll get more!" Kella laughs, slapping on more sauce. She knows that if she cuts the meats into quarters and gives them all an ample serving of vegetables and what not, these kids will be having their first real meal in a long time. Naxa suddenly runs into the back yard, doing a circle around her barbeque before laying himself down at her feet. Kella just laughs at Aja as he scoffs, even sticking out her tongue as he turns his back to her, going to his spot on her couch. Kella then grabs twenty-five small serving boxes, fills them each accordingly and stacks them. And without a word, Kella drops them at the adjacent houses' doorstep, rings the bell and walks away. However, Kella watches as one of them brings the food in, making sure they got it.

That night Aja sits staring at Kella as she writes out the schedule the young Oomans will be on for training, him having to admit it would rival the timetable for an Unblood training for his Chiva. Her eyes shift to his and she scoffs at him, adding that she doesn't like people watching her work and leaves to the kitchen. Naxa jumps up onto the couch, something Kella is trying to get him to stop doing but it seems whenever Aja was around, Naxa would be on his lap. He absentmindedly pets the white fur of the 'puppy' while his mind works over a few things. He knows that within a few Ooman weeks the seasons will change dramatically, giving him no other option but to leave. But it is not just that which makes Aja worry for his Kella. His peoples have many tribulations of their own, and now the Ooman planet has become secondary for what is important. But Aja knows that the Yautja are in a time that needs nothing but their full attention, and Kella cannot have a part of it, or any knowledge of it. With a sigh, Aja turns his head to her to see a wonderful sight. Leaning on the counter, Kella stands writing down whatever she is, but her round behind almost mischievously pointed at him. He ushers Naxa off his lap as he stands, making his way silently towards his Kella.

Suddenly Kella finds giant Yautja hands on either side of her on the counter, a large body behind her. Aja leans his massive head into her neck, his mandibles rubbing from her jaw down. He steps a little closer and to her welcome Kella feels a raging erection on her thigh, Ajas hips slowly rocking back and forth.

"Work later…" He purrs into her ear, even going to far as to slither his tongue out and lick her earlobe.

"I have to get this done." Kella says with an almost suppressed moan. But as much as she wished not to, her body begins to move with him, her hips matching his. Aja moves a hand to her hip and digs his claws into her skin a little, growling possessively. Kella half expects him to throw her over a shoulder and drag her upstairs. But when his hand travels under the band of her pants, she is lost. Kella moans loudly as his hand cups her sex, his fingers moving subtly over her skin.

"Do it when I am done." Aja barks back, sounding almost annoyed.

"When YOU are done?" Kella quips, but when she tries to turn around to smack him, Aja lifts her into the air and bends her over the back of the couch, his hand still rubbing her very wet folds. Kella tries to lift herself up but her body falls when Aja slips two fingers inside of her, curling them slightly as he knows she loves that touch. Suddenly Aja pulls her pants down to her ankles, using a foot get them completely off. Already both their breathing is labored, Aja chanting in his head not to simply impale her. He spreads her legs wide and his head falls back as he grumbles from her scent, his mouth watering. Kella answers him with a whine, trusting her hips upwards. He doesn't waste anymore time, grasps his shaft at the base and starts to rub up and down her slit, letting her natural juices lubricate both of them. Aja steps a little closer and powers into her, nearly his entire length now able to fit inside of her heavenly core. Kella has to bite her lip to keep from screaming, although the pain is infinitesimal to what it used to be.

Aja grabs each of her knees and hooks them around his elbows, giving him more access as he slowly drives himself inside her. Kella moans loud and long when he quickly jabs in and out, making her body tingle with pleasure. Aja just smiles, his eyes closed and head back, soaking every touch possible. He leans down until his textured chest grinds on her back, in their time together he had not missed the fact his Kella finds his skin irresistible, although he can say the same for hers. He starts long and deep trusts, making dam sure the friction between their skins is hard, making both of them groan in delight. Suddenly Kellas body stiffens as Aja feels her walls contract around his length, his mandibles tightening as he tries hard not to finish with her, he wants to feel as much of her as long as he can. When he knows he will not conclude, Aja starts to rotate his hips around in circles, his mind lost in what to do. He bows his head around his Kellas shoulder and bites her gently, her scars nearly fully healed and so very beautiful. Just when he thinks he could go longer, one of Kellas hands shifts into his locks and massages his skin, it isn't long before he fills her with all he has.

"" "" "" ""

"Sixteen!" Kella yells out, watching with hidden satisfaction as she instructs her kids to do more repetitions on their assigned machines. It didn't take a lot for the manager at this gym to allow her to occupy the whole place for most of the week. Just the knowledge that 'The Caretaker exercises here' is enough to make up for it. "Fifteen!" She tells again as she walks around the kids, loving the smell of sweat fermenting off them. For a moment her mind wonders to the days when her father would yell out numbers, making her nearly cry every time he said 'one more' when she ended up going fifty. "Fifteen!" She repeats, getting a few groans from the kids. Kella walks in front of one in particular, Sean she remembers to be his name. He looks like a carved statue you would see in old books showing pictures of the Roman civilization. His face with hard angles, body shaped like a statue and attitude like one as well. When ever Kella had been in the house, she always saw him by himself reading a newspaper. She had even brought a few books of her own for him to read. And in the three days she has been 'lightly training' them, he had read two books. She had to wonder how a kid of only fourteen could have come to a life like this. Kella made sure to find out the stories of all her charges, but had gotten few real answers. All she knows of Sean is that he had come from Akawa City, running from an abusive father. Well, Kella will make sure he is never abused again. With a soft nod to the young boy, she moves on down the line. "Fourteen!"

When they were done going twenty one more repletion's, Kella had them switch machines for the last time for the day. But just when she is about to begin counting again, she hears a very fait voice.

"Can we please take a break?" A feminine tone sounds. Kella looks around but she cannot match the voice to the person. "Please Caretaker." It speaks again and Kella sees who it is, Annabelle with the flower in her hair. Kella has not seen the girls' long and curly blonde hair without some kind of flower or leaf in it, the subtle beauty perfect for describing the girl, small, sweet, natural. Kella softly laughs as she makes the strange connection of the girl having a flower that needs water when she herself seems to flow like it. Her small frame always has a grace to it, like she had planned on moving like that for years and years, practicing to make it perfect.

"If everyone else wants to take a break, ok." Kella says and every body slumps to the ground with a groan. She just turns away, saying softly that she needs to see to something and leaves the workout room.

"I can't do this for much longer!" A boy huffs while wiping sweat from his brow.

"Caretaker Kella went through ten times what we are." Aaron says quietly. "Her father pushed her to her limit everyday and I know she is going soft on us until we know our limits."

"I just don't get what we are learning from this." A girl says.

"We are getting stronger! Duh!" A larger boy laughs.

"Strength isn't the only thing a Caretaker needs." Aaron says back.

"Then why don't you tell me what a Caretaker needs, Aaron?" They suddenly hear Kella ask from above them. All the kids twist around to see her sitting lightly atop a workout machine, seeming as if where she is sitting is a normal place to be.

"How did you get there?" A boy asks.

"Silently. One thing you must learn is that even though you are always given the option to make noise, you should refrain from it at times." The kids just look down in shame, knowing that she had purposely watched them to see if they would talk, and they did.

"" "" "" ""

"Naxa!" Aja trills harshly as he tries to get the white ball out of the bed, but having no luck. Kella just laughs, pointing out that it is his fault that the puppy thinks it is OK to sleep with them. He on the other hand is close to roaring at Naxa so he could have his Kella again. She has noticed him to be overly agitated in the past few days, short tempered with Naxa and even throwing his food at the T.V. when he watched a hero of a movie get shot. She had tried to ask what was wrong, but Aja just hissed that it is none of her concern. Every time he does do that though, Kella feels more and more like property. The realization that she is indeed owned by the Yautja always slamming into her anew every time.

"Can you do something for me?" Kella asks slyly, a hand petting one of his mandibles. Aja just thrills angrily but nods. "Turn into your stomach." An eye brow goes up in question, but he rolls over. And to his shock, Kella sits on his lower back.

"What are you doing?" He nearly roars, the puppy barking back. But she doesn't answer. Kella starts to massage his back, swiping away his black tresses and loving the feeling of his textured skin on her fingers. Instantly Aja starts purring in delight, his muscles relaxing.

It was never his intent to be angry with the white fluff, or even the T.V. But just the idea of leaving his Kella and going back to his peoples' problems makes him go on edge. But even as her Ooman fingers are calming him down, the understanding that he will most likely not see Kella again haunts him.

About half an hour later, Kella moves off a sleeping Aja and curls up with her dog, sighing into his soft fur.

"" "" "" ""

Kella had woken up her kids before the sun rose this morning, playing what ever song came to her mind on the pots and pans. The first thing she made them do was clean the house as it had become very messy over the past days. She knew that they had never had real guidance and instruction in keeping house, even going so far as to do a class on how to use the washing machine. But with the clothes and things Kella had given them, they had not been taking care of them and with threatening to take them back, the house was soon spotless. By the time they were done, the sun was up and the cool fall day was nipping at their ears. They all had expected to go to the gym as they usually did, but Kella soon got them all into a swift run around the District.

When they get to the boarder between the Alpha and Epsilon District, Kella stops and turns to the large group, all of them leaned over, tried.

"Now is the challenge." She begins. "The order in which I ran today is one that you must follow now, all the way back home and the one who has all they need, will get a prize." The kids start to turn around, expecting her to go with them but when she doesn't, they stop. "I won't be helping you. And to make sure you do not simply take what ever way home, after every few blocks there is a friend of mine with a piece of paper that you must give to me when you get back home. If anyone gets lost or cannot remember the way, come home which ever way you can with however many slips you have. Aaron, you go first." She says and the blonde boy runs off down the street. One by one each of the kids are called to leave, Kella being sure not to send them all together as one may help another and the exercise would be pointless. Once she sends the last, she runs back to the house and as she expected, no one is there. She sits on the doorstep and waits.

A little later…

"Caretaker." Someone steals Kella from her meditation. She opens her eyes to see Aaron there with only seven of the twenty slips of paper.

"Good Aaron, sit and relax." He nods and falls to the ground in exhaustion.

Two hours later, every kid is back and done in. Kella counts each ones slips and walks in front of one boy. Duncan looks every bit as his Irish name, a dark skinned warrior. Eyes, hair and skin the color of deep bronze. Instantly Kella knows he is smart as he is the only one of the twenty-five to remember the way back and to get every slip. It is the point of her exercise for the kids to begin to remember where they have been, a memory test. But for a moment Kella just looks at him, his long, slender body just is simply laying on the lawn, trying to calm down.

"Congratulations Duncan, you win." She says softly and turns around to go home.

"Wait, I thought you said I get a prize?" Duncan asks, a deep voice to go with his physic.

"You get bragging rights." Kella says and walks into the house.

"" "" "" ""

Aja twitches his mandibles and stretches as he wakes up, a smile forming when he feels his Kellas stomach under his hand. He opens his eyes to looks down at the Ooman in bed with him, dread in his belly. He could feel the air change, everyday getting colder, the next season creeping closer. Kella shifts a little and turns to face him, sleep still evident in her eyes as they move rapidly. Aja just moves closer, swiping stray strands of hair from her face. With a nearly silent sigh, Aja finally tells himself that what he has with Kella must end. Any time now the rainy days will turn to snowy ones and he will have to go, go back to his life and leave her. But oh how he doesn't want to go.

After slipping out of the bed, Aja takes a slow bath. Granted Kellas tiny bathtub could never fit him, he makes due by standing in it and washing. It works and she helps most of the time. After drying off and dressing, Aja spends a few minutes looking at all of Kellas cloths, some he has not seen on her and wondering why not. He shakes his head at Ooman fashions once more and leaves the room. Scratching his side absentmindedly, Aja crosses the bedroom to go let the white ball out when he looks outside, and his stomach drops. He takes small, apprehensive steps towards to large window and stops at the glass. His eyes go to the top of the cloudy sky and watches one giant fluff of white, frozen water fall to the ground. Aja can't even see to the other side of the street, the snow is falling so thick. Slowly he turns around and stares blankly at the body in the bed, Aja suddenly feeling so sad that their time has ended. He has to wonder why he is taking this so badly, it is not as though he didn't know their time would end, he always knew that it would. But the thought of being away from her fills him with sorrow that he has never felt.

Aja shakes his head roughly and slides back into bed, wanting to spend as much time as possible before his Kella knows their time is over. He moves behind her and spoons her body with his, a mandible naturally nipping her ear. And then Aja remembers he has to go let out the white ball.

"" "" "" ""

"Please stop crying my Kella." Aja purrs into her neck. But Kella just cries harder into her pillow, the cool metal of Ajas Awu'asa on her arm. When she had woken up, she nearly fainted at seeing the snow, not expecting it so early. Aja on the other hand didn't seem sad at all, only seeming put together and stone faced, that just making her sadder. Aja runs a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm her, but only getting sobs. "Kella, Kella please I must go, my father has already said his good-bye to you and has called me back to the DropShip."

"And what do you expect from me Aja?" Kella yells as she sits up, her blue eyes surrounded by tears and red. "You think I am just supposed to be calm and collected that you are leaving? I can't be like you Aja!" She cries and falls back down, her face in the pillow. Aja on the other hand stays still, his mind reeling with her words. He is not calm about leaving her, his mind chanting that he wants to stay, but he can't.

"I know you are sad Kella."

"Sad?" She yells, nearly pushing him on the arm and looking up to him. "I'm not just sad Aja! I am angry, I am depressed and I am worried!"

"Worried of what?" He asks and moves to sit next to her.

"I'm worried that you're not going to come back to me…" Kella whispers. Aja bursts into a deep, resonating purr and rubs her back, doing all he can think of to reassure his Kella.

"Kella, I swear to you that when I get the chance, when I am here or have time to hunt on my own, I will be back here to be with you." He whispers into her ear against his best judgment as he knows there is no guarantee for him coming back here.

"Promise me." Kella says, grabbing hold of her his head to make sure he looks into her eyes.

"I promise." He says, holding her stare. She smiles up at him and lets his giant head go, which is soon covered by his mask. Kella sits on her bed and follows her Aja with her eyes as he goes to the door. But when he turns around and walks to the end of the bed, Kella is shocked. "No kiss good-bye?" He thrills is laughter. Kella huffs and lifts the covers above her head, hiding under them again. Aja shakes his head and laughs, again noting that Kella is so young, but she makes him feel young too. "Fine." Aja barks in a fake fit of anger and opens and closes the door. Before Kella can lift the covers from her face, Aja is hiding behind the bed.

"AJA!" Kella screams, a horrified face staring at the door. Aja noiselessly walks to her side and grabs her waist, pulling her into his body. Kella yelps but soon moans when Aja pushes his now unmasked face into hers, his tongue delving into her mouth. Kella wraps her arms around his neck, trying to lock him in but when he breaks the kiss, she can't hold onto him.

"I must go." He sighs.

"Wait!" She bursts and runs off the bed and downstairs, Aja wondering what she is doing. Kella runs back into the room with a small package in her hands and jumps back on the bed next to him. "I didn't know when you would be leaving but I got this for you some time ago."

"What is it?" Aja asks, a hand grabbing the hard white box.

"It's a gift." Kella sighs. "I know how you like 'The Godfather'…"

"'I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.'" Aja mimics in the perfect Don Corleone voice.

"Well, this is like 'The Godfather', this is 'The Sopranos'." Kella tells and opens the box.

"Where did you get Yautja projection disks?" Aja barks, lifting the small square disks.

"Don't ask, just enjoy!" Kella laughs, wiping tears from her cheek. He gratefully takes the small box and hides it in his armor and then he realizes that he has no gift for his Kella. His mandibles twitch in thought at what to do and embarrassment, as it is rude to not give a gift when receiving one. And then it comes to him. Aja searches his Awu'asa and then he finds the small circular device.

"Take this Kella, and always have it on you." He places it in her hands and she hugs it to her body. "Promise me." Aja whispers, their faces slowly coming together.

"I promise." Kella whispers back and then she closes her eyes as his mandibles touch her lips, gently grazing them like he had always done before. When he pulls back, Kella silently sobs, hot tears falling again. Kella opens her eyes only to watch her Aja leave, his cloaked form going into the cold outside.

"" "" "" ""

A Yautja cycle or seventy-seven Ooman days later…

Elder Rhd and his small team of helpers walk the large halls of the Clan Ship, talking about his days' task when he looks into the observation room, finding his son standing in the middle alone, staring at the large window full of colorful dots. Elder Rhd motions for his people to meet him later and he walks next to his son.

"You have been very quiet all cycle." Elder Rhd says, but to his frustration gets no response. "Even since we left the Ooman world, you have not been yourself. Quieter then usual, even overly rough with challengers. I am worried about you my son."

"You do not need to worry about me father." Aja breathes out. Every day for more then a whole cycle, Aja has stared out into the dark of space, wishing to Paya that he was really looking at the view from his Kellas window, or watching something on her projection screen. But he is not with her any longer.

"I will always worry about my offspring." Elder Rhd laughs, even patting his son on the back. "But something is different with you, Aja. A friend of a friend has told me that you have not taken a mate in some time, which is not healthy." Aja slowly turns his head to his father, eyes squinted in disbelief.

"My mating habits are none of your concern!" He barks, only getting a deep chuckle form his father.

"I only thought that it was kicking in, that is all." Elder Rhd huffs sarcastically, leaving his sentence hanging and Aja uninformed at what he meant.

"I don't even want to know." Aja growls and turns back to the stars, remembering the day when he had stood here as they left the orbit of the Ooman planet and watched until the blue dot of Kellas world was gone. It seems that every time he noticed the world was smaller, his want to go back to his Kella grew larger. And now everyday he wakes up without her, he does his duties thinking of her, and he falls asleep without her.

"You see, there is something called Oxytocin,"

"Father no!" Aja groans, even cupping his head in aggravation.

"Oxytocin…" Elder Rhd goes on. "…is a hormone shared to nearly all sentient species. It promotes feelings of connectedness and companionship between a mating pair. But you have no prospects for a lifemate." He points out, making something in Ajas stomach hurt to nearly unbearable. He has a sudden urge to talk to his Kella again, despite the fact that he had spoken to her that morning. The small round disk Aja had given her is something he had great fun using. The first night, when he was sure Kella was asleep, Aja turned on the long distance communicator and scared her something fierce. But she was happy to be able to speak to him, if only for a few minutes a day. Aja was always happy to just leave the device on during the times when she slept, listening to her breathe as she slept. Although, when Aja asked about her horde of trainees, she was adamant about not telling him anything. While other times they could talk forever about Naxa and how he has grown.

"I know I have no prospects." Aja barks back, trying not to be angry with his father because he doesn't know of what he has done.

"Even the females on the ship have become overly aggressive to gain mating rights with you, but you ignore them."

"Is it so wrong for me to do so?" Aja laughs, trying to lighten the subject.

"In all seriousness Aja…" Elder Rhd tells in his very stern voice, Aja knowing instantly that this is very serious. "I have been approached by more then a few females, all questioning your fertility as you have not mated in more then a cycle."

"My fertility?" Aja hisses in surprise. It was one thing to question his mating drive, but for some to think he is unable produce children is a very damaging this to the reputation of a male Yautja.

"Some think that you are not engaging in the act because you know you are unable to produce." Elder Rhd finally looks to his son, but just tilts his head at his expression. "I know you are able to, but just a few questioning it can cause you great discomfort."

"I understand and will deal with the problem, on my own." Aja adds. Then the two fall silent and watch the stars go by. Aja was just about to excuse himself when a comet flies by the window, causing him to pause and giving his father the chance to speak first.

"There is an old Ooman tradition of wishing on a comet when seen, a 'shooting star' as they call it." Elder Rhd laughs.

"How would you know that?" Aja asks with a small chuckle.

"Caretaker Kella told me on one of our outings." At her name, Ajas heart bounds, stomach clinches and mind saddens.

"Still so angry with the female?" His father thrills in laugher as he turns around to leave. "Even at her name I can hear your heart beat with desire to hunt her."

'_My desire is not to hunt her…_' Aja thinks with a sigh.

"Good night father." He says.

"Good night my son." And with that, Elder Rhd is gone and Aja turns back to the stars, thinking of his Kella again.

"" "" "" ""

Authors note: I just slap myself for being so late, I know some do not care but I do. I just have to say that this story is soon coming to its end. And that there are only four or five chapters left. And then it's over…perhaps. Muahahahaha. You know my mind has been thinking up all kinds of things.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: Oak Tree Woman, ready...aim...fire and marineswifey. To marineswifey, I would love to bounce around ideas with you if you want. Just message me and we'll see what happens.

On aff .net: prairiefire, shortestwarrior(Hmm…does Elder Rhd know…I wonder, hahaah), Muse of Scrolls, chancelor22 and Death God Dist.

As for Naxa prairiefire, you completely right. Although I never did real research on it before I made him white, I know now that they cannot be white. At the time I was in-between black, for a stark contrast to her white, and white. So I do what I always do when between two things, I flipped a coin and white Naxa is.

E.M.


	12. So Fast

The History of Tomorrow

So Fast

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

This chapter moves really fast, so try and keep up.

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

"He will see you now, Miss. Matthews." The strangely small secretary tells Kella to go into the Governors office. She stands and flattens out her winter jacket, hoping this will not take too long. Opening the door, she expects to be speaking to Adam privately, but she enters to see him and two other men standing by his large desk.

"Hello Kella." Adam says and stands, shaking her hand. He looks as good as ever, his dark skin and eyes almost glowing against the backdrop of snow from his large window. "How do you do?"

"I am fine, and yourself?" Kella asks and takes off her jacket, placing on the back of a chair before sitting down. She looks to both the men standing at the side of Adam for a moment, deciding to ignore them for now. "I come to ask a favor."

"I have heard." The Governor laughs slightly. "Not only is the city of Acropolis up in arms with you training more Caretakers, but neighboring cities as well."

"Good." Kella smiles wickedly.

"I don't think you understand just how must trouble you have cause with this."

"No I do not understand, and I don't care too. All I am asking for are the papers to make everything legal with the kids."

"The kids?" Adam leans back on his chair, closing his eyes as if concentrating. "I find it hard to view them as kids, Miss. Matthews." Kella raises a single eye brow at him using her last name. "I, as long with others, view them as weapons."

"They are, but to the right people." Kella defends.

"Since you began 'training' them, over a year has past. I have seen them running around here day and night, tracking, training, whatever. The ruling governments don't like it, I do not like it. Even the people do not like it."

"I don't know what people you are talking to, as I have more then a few come to me, asking when their training will be done so their District can be protected." Kella tells, making Adam go quiet.

"The issue at hand today has nothing to do with them as weapons and future Caretakers, as I understand."

"Your right about one thing I see. I just need the papers to make the adoptions legal." Kella finally gets out.

"You plan on adopting twenty-five kids?" Adam nearly yells.

"I do. I just need your help to speed it along." They go quiet, both staring at each other with unbending concentration. Adam slowly turns to his left, and nods to one of the men. He walks to one side of the room and opens a giant wooden cabinet, taking out a thick bundle of paper. He places it on the desk between him and Kella and goes back to his spot.

"Consider it a favor to be repaid." Adam sighs. In silence, Kella grabs the papers, stands and gives him a small nod before leaving the room.

"She doesn't seem so bad." One of the men standing observes.

"Have you even been in love?" Adam asks, getting 'of course' from both men. "Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like "maybe we should just be friends" or "how very perceptive" turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart hurt. I hate love." (1)

"" "" "" ""

Aaron and the others make their way to the Caretakers house, always walking on the sidewalk and never on the grass, that being a rule she had added a very long time ago. If someone had seen the kids when their first started with the Caretaker, and then seen them now, they would have thought they were different kids. All have their own skills have shaped their minds and bodies, making them into the perfect examples of what determination and great leadership can do to a person. He knocks on the door as they get there, waiting for her to answer to let them in. After taking off their shoes and lining them up rightly she leads them into the society room, Aarons eyes on her constantly. They enter to find the table with papers and pens lined up, the Caretaker telling them to find their name and sit quietly. After a minute or two, all of them are down and silent.

"In front of you are legal papers that you can sign, but you need to know what will happen if you do. These are adoption papers that will make me your legal guardian, as none of you have any and I want to be. It is your choice to sign. If you do, I will be happy. I you don't, I will be fine with that. It is your choice. Now," Before Kella can even finish, each and every one picks up the pen and signs on the dotted line, tears of joy in her eyes before she forces them away.

"" "" "" ""

Aja slams his shoulder into the chest of the Unblood, the wonderfully sickening 'snap' of bone music to his ears. The male tumbles to the ground, and doesn't get up. Aja stands tall and slams his own fist against his chest, his own way of declaring that he has won. He wipes the sweat from his cheek, his finger tips grazing over the scar over his eye. And for a moment his mind drifts to his Kella again, for the thousandth time this day. His body shivers from the memory of her tracing down his scars, her soft skin touching his.

"Aja, we are here to train the Unbloods, not debilitate them." His fellow trainer Cray informs with a soft chuckle.

"I would not have had to break the Tarei'hasan if he had not insulted me." Aja hisses back and leaves the training deck before someone can ask questions. To long as it been since he has mated with Kella, and for his father and others, they have all noticed now he does not mate with other females. His potency had been called into question some time ago, but after rigorous testing it came that he is perfectly fine. The females of his clan seen to adore that he has refused them, making them all try harder to get him to mate. Even during the last mating season, Aja had taken an assignment to look at the contingent along the borders of their territory, just to get away from them.

After a cleansing bath, he slips onto bed as the hour is late and contacts Kella, her voice a nightly routine he never wants to break. Counting from the day he had met her, he has heard her voice for five hundred and four Ooman days, and everyday he has worshiped her. He wouldn't mind just sitting and listening to her breathe as she slept more frequently then he did, even that time precious to him. But this night he has great news for her…

"" "" "" ""

When news that Aja was coming back in just over sixty days, Kella could feel a strange build up in her chest. She knows that with every second he got closer, and with every second she could feel her anticipation build. She would count the days down religiously, her family and friends asking her constantly what is going on, but never getting an answer. Although, Kella came up with the response that she is simply excited about her children, as they are hers and always will be, and the future they hold, that being a good enough tale to believe, for now. Naxa, their dog, seems to know that he is coming home as well, his behavior becoming angelic. He has grown to his complete size now, his body weight nearly more then hers. Kella guesses he just doesn't want her to tell on him. Everyday Kella wakes and says hello into the communication device her Aja had given her, always getting a purr of hello back. However, one particular day he did not say a greeting back, scaring Kella nearly to death that something had happened to the device when in reality he could not say anything back, having a private talk with his father at the time.

One thing that has come from Aja and the Yautja coming back early is bad, to be true. Kellas' plans with Elder Rhd and her children have to be pushed back, they are no where near ready. So they must wait until the next time they come around, whenever that may be.

"" "" "" ""

Elder Rhd stands on the Bridge with his first son behind him, Aja calm and as silent as ever. But with them on this trip are the Matriarchs advisors, four in all and all formidable as the most dangerous Hard Meat Queen. Atie, the Matriarchs most trusted of them all, is rather large, even for a female. Standing a full head and shoulder above Elder Rhd, all the males feel a sense of sexual frustration, but they all know they can never act upon their needs. Atie is not only a famous advisor, but she was once a great huntress as well, her kills known among all their peoples, only few have a greater number then she. Aja seems to be the only one not stealing glances at her, something she had noticed the day she had arrived on their DropShip, forcing her attraction to the male to increase in size. She moves her giant body in a slowly graceful manner, making her way to Ajas side.

"I have not heard a lot of this Ooman world." She starts, a deep resonating voice almost hurting Ajas' ears.

"There is little to know." He sighs, trying to act uninterested in the female. He knows that his attraction to the other females is great, but what he feels as a need and want for his Kella has always been more then a simple attraction to a Yautja female. However, since Atie had come into his life, he has felt a stronger attraction to her, something he knows he can handle.

"You have been there many times though?" She asks, genuinely interested.

"Too many times." He lies.

"I was told by a friend of a friend that you hunted a Bad Blood the last time you set foot on that rock, and that you gained a great scar from the fight." Aja slowly looks towards to towering female, mentioning of any scars on the opposite sex a very clear indication that they wish to mate.

"I did indeed." He says quickly, turning his gaze back to the view screen. But even as the blue planet gets bigger, as well as his need to see his Kella gets bigger, he cannot get his concentration off Atie. She on the other hand has grown rather impatient with the second in power, her need still unfilled after so many days of swooning over him.

The rest of the trip to the planet though is quiet, all on board silent in anticipation. Every few seasons, the Matriarch will send her advisors to the planet to see how far along the Ooman people have come after the take over. And from the advisors words, she will decide weather or not the Yautja will have a continuing hand in their life. Everyone knows that they will recommend that they stay involved with the Oomans, their planet being one of great significance from the war. How odd it will look if the Yautja give up any connection to the one dividing point of a war, odd indeed. Ajas only thought about the planet now is that his Kella is there, and what will happen after the advisors are done with their inspection, free hunting time. He knows what he will be hunting…

"" "" "" ""

As the ramp lowers to the ground, Aja stands along with all the other Yautja masked and in formation. In front of him is his father, already down to the planet and talking to the Ooman Becks, and Aja doesn't miss who he is. It takes more then he thought to keep himself from killing that male for mating with his Kella, but he knows that if he harms him in anyway, as he is the ruling male of the Ooman city, he will be in much trouble. Behind him he can smell Atie, her scent never giving him a moment's peace. It is almost as if she knows he is going to break, but he will try his hardest not to give in to her, he has his Kella and that is all he needs. He can hear Elder Rhd and the Ooman speaking, only a few more moments before they can leave the ship and look around the city. It will take no more then an Ooman day for the advisors to see the city, and after that he will be in his Kellas bed again. After Elder Rhd nods to the waiting group, Aja and the others begin to move down the ramp. However, Atie takes rather large steps and the next thing he knows, she is by his side.

"I know a little secret." Atie whispers in a purr, making Aja nearly pump out every drop of musk he has.

"And what may that be?" He asks back in a whisper, though he never intended it to be so.

"I know how you like this planet. I do not know why, but I know you do." She informs, making his stomach twist up. "It would be a pity for this planet to be restricted of Yautja hunters, don't you think?" She goes on like her words are normal conversation. "I have never been…encouraged enough to like rock. Nothing has ever…given me just what I need to like it." She purrs again, a strange stirring occurring in Ajas loins. As the group starts down the path to Payas statue, she purrs and whispers sexual things that Aja must try his hardest not to acknowledge. But after they are done with the small ceremony, she says something that gets him going. "I am sure if _you _give me exactly what I need, I will give a glowing recommendation…" She purrs into his ear. Instantly Aja is ready to mate, his appendage appears from beneath his metal loincloth. He grabs Atie by the hand and pulls her into an ally way, growling to himself that he is going to give her exactly what she needs.

"" "" "" ""

Kella had a very hard time sleeping this night, her mind and body wanting Aja more then anything. She had given the kids the day off so she could go to the arrival, making sure she got a good place atop a roof so she could see her Aja. As the ship lands at the end of the street, she can feel her heart pound and body heat up with desire, a need she knows will be filled. For too long Kella would stare at Adam before the Yautja came, thinking that the man could not do a single thing to look bad. She knows he is a great man, and that he is simply angry at the fact she had denied him so long ago. Hopefully in time he will be less angry, and in time they can become friends. Her thoughts are ripped from her mind as Elder Rhd comes out, him looking as magnificent as ever. She sees a small glimpse of the scar she gave him, a giant ego boost in her mind happening just then. As her eyes travel the rows of Yautja, she not only sees a few very distinct females, but her Aja as well. Her eyes trail down his honey skin, his thick arms and legs making her legs weak.

For too long they knelt by Payas statue, asking for luck in whatever they may be doing on her world. When they are done however, Kella watches as a mammoth of a female goes to her Ajas side, and then she nearly cries as she sees his become aroused and take the female off down a street. She stays on her perch though, her mind not knowing what to do. But in an instant she finds her feet deciding for her and she is off following them.

"" "" "" ""

Aja pulls the female through a few small streets and then slams her against a wall, making her moan in arousal. They both are fast in ripping off their masks, the need to smell the others musk a must. Aja moves a hand to the side of her Awu'asa and with expert fingers unclasps it and lets it fall open, her erect and secreting nipples amazingly arousing. While the male of the Yautja secrets their muck from the head and groin, the female does the same but through her nipples and groin. If their musk came from the head, the males would get a diluted dose of it. But instantly Ajas mandibles open and he takes a deep breathe, her scent to much. Atie grabs his shoulders and squeezes, making him seethe in pain but groan in pleasure. Aja lifts one of her legs up, linking it at the knee with an elbow. In an instant he is inside of her, both of them letting their heads fall back in bliss. He starts in on fast and deep trusts, labored breath from both Yautja loud in the street. Atie reaches down with both hands and grabs his thighs, pulling him closer. But in that she gives him the tell-tale signs of matting, her claws digging into him, blood dripping down to the ground. At the smell of blood though, both Yautja go into frenzy and before they know it, both reach their highest point, releasing their pent up need with each other. Aja growls lowly to the female, his chest pushing against hers. Atie growls back of course, this being what happens at the end of every mating session. After that though they both quiet down, their bodies needing another moment to gain its strength back.

"Oomans are so strange." Atie says out of the blue. Aja lifts his head to see the female looking behind him, an immediate feeling of dread in his gut. Slowly he turns his head around, only able to go so far as his and the advisors bodies are still locked together. His eyes instantly see the red of his Kella hair on a roof top a few buildings down, her face unreadable from the distance but he knows. And once again, before he can take another breathe she is gone, him unable to go after her.

"" "" "" ""

Kella runs into her house, the moment the door closes behind her she lets the tears fall freely. Collapsing to the ground, she can't help but feel her heart mourn somehow, a pain she has never felt before taking over her completely. She sobs into her hands, her body a crumpled mess on the ground until Naxa strides to her, his cold nose sniffing at her. She yells at him to go away and for an instant he does not know what to do, never hearing her like that before. But Kella doesn't say it again and gets up, taking one step at a time to her room. She gets into her bed, despite knowing all that had gone on in that bed, and cries into her pillow, not knowing what else to do.

After an uncountable number of hours go by, Kella lays silently staring at the wall with bloodshot eyes when someone calls her on the COM. At first she does not want to see who it is, just in case it may be Elder Rhd saying a hello, or even Aja. She had long ago broken his little device in half on her knee, her anger boiling over. But after more then seven beeps of the COM, she finds it to be her Aunt. For a moment she doesn't want to talk to her, but at the same time she does.

"Hello." She answers in a shaky voice.

"Kella? Kella is that you?" Aunt Ellen asks, afraid at what she has heard.

"Yeah, I'm…" Kella breaks down. "I'm ok." She cries into her pillow.

"I'll be right there!" Her Aunt tells and she is gone.

Less then ten minutes later, her Aunt is in bed with her, cradling her head to her chest, whispering, begging to know what has gotten her so upset. For a long time Kella doesn't say a thing, only crying into her Aunt as she trying to get her to talk.

"Did you have a fight with Mercedes?" She asks, Kella only shaking her head. "Kella, look at me." He moves her head so their eyes are right across from each other. "I know what is going on. Everyone knows, everyone sees the difference in you. I know you have a boyfriend." Instantly Kella bursts into tears, letting her Aunt know she is right. "Please tell me."

"Aja." Kella whispers.

"Aja, a Yautja name, huh?" Her Aunt smiles.

"No. Not just a Yautja name. Aja. The one who I said hated me a very long time ago on the phone…"

"Oh Kella." Aunt Ellen pets her hair and tries to sooth her, but to no avail.

"" "" "" ""

Aja stands behind his father, his mind not knowing what they are talking about now. The Ooman night had long come and gone, the new sun rising in the sky. The Ooman Becks is actually quite bright, articulate and worthy. Shame that him being Governor makes him off limits to hunt, but the other event is always on his mind. Atie on the other hand had looked at what happened as comical, laughing intermittently during the whole time she is on the planet. Once the advisors are done though, they are quick to leave in the DropShip, leaving those who want to be left, Aja being one of them. However, his mind is not focused on possible hunts, but more on his Kella… 'his' Kella.

'_Would she be mine after what I have done to her?_' He silently hisses to himself. '_Oomans view matting in a very different manner as Yautja. even if they are not declared as lifemates, they see mating with another a form of betrayal. I may not have seen her face, but I could feel her pain._'

The second it is possible Aja is off, running with both rage and worry in his blood. He is so angry with himself that if things do not resolve themselves this day, he will do the honorable thing a Yautja male will do when he has disrespected his female, activate his self destruct. He has betrayed the one female he has ever felt more then a physical attachment too, and the grief that comes from it is unbearable. However, he is not worried of that fact. As in his mind he feels a strange need to end his life for the complete and utter dishonor he has done to himself. Aja is worried for Kella, and if she will be his Kella any more. As he gets insight of her home, he stops and stares at it, seeing her in her room, on her bed. For the first time in what he guesses to be his whole life, Aja is afraid to move forwards. Fear and apprehension for what might come from Kella. In his sights though, Aja sees her body sit up and almost stare at him, she knows he is there somehow. He makes his way to her balcony and jumps up, standing cloaked on the other side of the door for a long while. Kella is just staring at him, waiting for him to come in until finally he opens the door and walks in.

"Get out, and never come back." Kella says strongly, her intent focused.

"No." Aja growls back, his stance just as strong as hers.

"This is my house Yautja, and I am telling you to get out!" She yells. Aja is stunned for a moment though, just hearing her say Yautja in that sense is enough to hurt his pride dangerously.

"I am not leaving Kella." He says, this time in a hiss of anger.

"Do not call me that!" She screams, standing on the bed now. "You do not have the right to call me that! You are no longer apart of my life, Yautja. Get out before I force you out." She nearly growls.

"I will not leave until we discuss this." Aja takes a step forwards, his body tense.

"There is nothing to discuss. You mated with another female while we _were_ together. So we are no longer together."

"I do not accept that." He hisses and suddenly pulls on her white sheets, pulling them from under her. Kella falls to her back with an 'ump' but doesn't get the chance to know what is going on as he pulls her towards him. Aja grabs her body and lifts her into the air before putting her on the ground, him sitting lightly on her hips. "You will listen to me Ooman!" He hisses in rage, making her stop. "I am a Yautja, and things are done differently."

"I do not accept your excuse!" She screams.

"That is not an excuse! I am free to mate as I wish!" Aja tells, though in his mind he knows he is saying all the wrong things. "But I only with to mate with you."

"Good way to show it." Kella finally cries, turning onto her side and covering her face, Aja bursting into a purr to calm her. "I don't want to see you again, get out of my house, get out of my life and get off my world!" She yells and tries to kick him off, but he is to strong and heavy.

"Why do you say such things Kella?" Aja whines himself, his emotions taking over. The sounds that come form him sound more like when a dog is crying, the anguish and sadness she can hear clearly. "I am sorry for hurting you. I am sorry for what I have done. Do you not believe me?" He cries into her ear, the cold of his mask tickling it.

"That's the thing…" Kella cries a whisper. "I do believe you."

"Then why do you wish me away?" He asks and moves her head so she can look into his eyes, at least into his mask.

"Because I am in love with you, you idiot!" She screams and takes off his mask, throwing it across the room.

"I do not know that word." He pets her face gently, the wet of her tears a strange feeling on his fingers.

"Love is…Love is a word that describes a feeling between people. It is looking over in the morning and seeing an empty space and wishing that person was there with you. It is thinking of that person at the most mundane of moments. It is a heartache you feel when you are apart from the person. It is a joy you feel when you are together. It is being able to be together in silence, and be ok with it. It is a constant desire, a constant need, a constant want. Do you want me to tell you something really subversive about love? Love _is_ everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it... It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk everything, you risk even more. Life doesn't leave that many choices."(2)

"If that is love…" Aja says quietly. "Then I hold that for you, my Kella." Suddenly he lifts her up, not giving her the chance to respond and sits her on his lap. He rips off his chest plates and takes out a small knife.

"What are you doing?" She asks wearily.

"Declaring." He says quickly, then they go quiet as she realizes what he means. Aja turns the knife onto himself and makes the necessary mark to declare that she and him are lifemates. The mark itself is placed just under the neck, no longer then two inches and no wider then one. A small box is sliced into the skin, and inside that two letters in Yautja are printed, one for his name and one for her. After he is done with himself, Aja marks Kella too, doing the same to her chest with a clean knife. He takes her hand and covers it in her blood that had come from her mark, and he soon does the same with his, covering the palm completely. Aja then places his hand over her mark, his blood seeping onto her wound, Kella quick in doing to same to her Aja. After he cleans up the blood and make sure the marks will heal perfectly, together they give what the other has wanted for so long, each other.

"" "" "" ""

Twenty Ooman days later, Aja leaves again, both of them spending more time in bed then anywhere else. Of course Kella had to continue training her kids, Aja nearly dropping when she told him they are legally her pups. They had argued over the idea that Aja now had twenty-five Ooman pups, but Kella decided to be nice and say they were only hers. On the day he left though, they had a very heated talk about hiding their marks, both knowing that if the fact of them being lifemates came out, ciaos would ensue and neither want that. And so they are both hiding their marks with neck armor created with Ajas own Awu'asa. Kella of course watched him enter the DropShip, a strange sense of happiness in her stomach.

"" "" "" ""

Kella sits alone at her favorite coffee shop, sipping her daily fix and going over her calendar for the next few months. Going back, she counts that Aja has been gone now for just about two years her time, almost a full season to him. They talk every night but it is not the same. Her Aunt has been very understanding, keeping her secret to herself but she is always talking about different things. But for one thousand, three-hundred and sixteen days, Kella has known Ajas name. And she will never forget it. She checks the time and sees that she has a few more minutes until Adam is to arrive, them making a weekly talk mandatory. At first it was all about her children and how they are a problem, but it soon went to the weather and then more pleasant things and now she is confident to say they have a wonderful friendship. Kella pulls on the collar of her turtleneck sweater, having to admit that it is getting warm for the season to wear such a thing. The spring air still nips at her ears, but it is getting closer and closer to summer, closer and closer to when the Yautja are due back.

"Please tell me that is de-caf?" Adam asks as he takes a seat across from her.

"It's de-caf." Kella smiles.

"Liar."

"You told me to tell you it was de-caf." She laughs and looks up to him, finding that he has gotten a hair cut. Kella had found out some time ago that Adam was of Egyptian decent, how he knows that is still a mystery to her. Centuries have passed since a name like that had been said, Kella almost not knowing what he meant until she researched it. "So how has your day been?" She starts their normal conversation.

"Wonderful." He sighs and stares into her eyes, trying not to seen like he is completely engulfed in them. "Yours?"

"Long." Kella laughs and goes back to her calendar. "I have been counting down the days until the Yautja come here."

"Why?" Adam asks before ordering his own coffee for the morning.

"Because I might tell the Elder then…" She wiggles her head to show her uncertainty.

"Are they ready?"

"Not close. But they are good enough to attract attention, the attention of many Yautja." She tells of her concern about her children being hunted. Of course they are more then worthy for the Yautja to take them as prizes, but Kella needs to make sure they can do the job she has trained them to do.

"What are you doing tonight?" Adam asks, finally taking a chance.

"Training until the sun goes down. You?" Kella answers, not getting what his question means.

"Nothing much, want to meet when the sun sleeps?" Slowly Kella raises her head to look at him, her eyes suspicious. "Nothing like that Kella!" He laughs. "I am just tired of meeting you in the mornings. And besides, you used to be quite the club hoper." He smiles wickedly, and yet with a sarcastic sense to it.

"That was before I became the mother to twenty-five kids." Kella laughs. "Perhaps another time?"

"You still owe me a favor, dear Caretaker." Adam squints his eyes funnily and takes a sip of his coffee, hoping his plan to get closer will work.

"And you want to waste it on what? Dinner?" Kella laughs.

"Dinner, dancing, drinks, anything that may come."

"Save your favor for something big." She sticks out her tongue, making Adam push his plans back even further.

"" "" "" ""

The Yautja were set to arrive when the weather warmed, so the very day it did, Kella was quick in begging Aja to come back. Two years was too long for any couple, but their constant talking and communication held their relationship wonderfully. The day the Yautja arrived, Kella was sad to decide that her children were no where ready to ask for help, so she had gone to something she never thought she would do to keep them safe. Just like her father had done to her, she has forced them to hide in their home for the time the Yautja would be on their world, that being quite some time. While their previous visits all had reasons, this one is just a giant hunting trip for most of Ajas clan. One thing Kella had learned from their talks was that his clan is called Anset, but he would not tell her the meaning of it. It seems that even if someone from another clan came into his, they would never know the meaning of it, only those born within it ever will. Kella completely understands, although she decided to be mean and made up a word that meant absolutely nothing, saying it is a secret word of her family, making him rather jealous.

She also decided not to go watch the ship arrive, knowing that Aja would have to do a few things before he could come see her. He had to hunt of course, just to make it seem real. It would be strange, and dishonorable, for a hunter to hunt but get no skulls, so he had to have something to show for his time. But the very second he could get away, Kella was in his arms again.

For more then sixty days, they stayed in her, their, home again. Naxa was of course by Ajas side constantly, him being completely odd at how the white ball had grown. They filled their time with whatever came, whether it was sex, watching movies or T.V., Aja had even taken her back to her tree outside the city. Everything was perfect.

But all good things come to an end.

"" "" "" ""

Sitting together on the couch, Aja and Kella watch his new favorite show, 'Friends'. Kella had never been a fan of it, but her had been completely engulfed in it and after watching each installment at least three times, they are now just about at the end. It seems one of the characters is having a baby with another, the whole saga of 'Ross and Rachel' something that Aja always thought made their relationship seem calm and normal. But as they watched, they know that their time is soon over, only having a few hours before he must leave again. He doesn't know when he will be back, him personally. The Elder and his ship will be back within two years, but Aja does not know if he will be able to come. Without saying much of his people's problems, Kella got the distinct impression that something is going on that needs everyone's attention. When 'Rachel' goes into labor, Aja is awed at the actual process, Kella needing to explain that it is in fact painful. He on the other hand had to explain that Yautja males are not allowed to be on the same planet as a pregnant female, let alone be there for the birth. After that small conversation though, Kella begins to feel strangely unfulfilled. She watched Ajas face move as things are said, even though he may not get all the cultural references, he understands that the laughing from no where is a signal that something was funny. She looks back to the screen in time to see the female get her child placed in her arms, her body sweaty and tried, but her face shows nothing but bliss for her child being born.

"I want a baby." Kella says suddenly, her heart pounding with the realization.

"You want pups? You have pups, twenty-five of them." Aja laughs, even patting her back funnily, but she isn't amused. Kella turns and sits on his lap, making sure he knows he is completely serious.

"I want pups, with you Aja. You are my lifemate, I am yours. We should,"

"We can't!" He nearly roars, stopping her words instantly. "Kella, I thought it was clear. We as we are is already something that cannot happen, and having a pup of mixed blood can never, ever be." All of the sudden Kella goes weak, her mind frozen and body unwilling to move.

"But…But I want more…" She whispers, tears of sadness falling.

"I can't give it to you." Aja purrs back, rubbing her arms up and down. But just as her sadness came, anger filled her. Kella suddenly punches Aja right in the face, making them both roll off to the floor. He lifts himself up a little, holding his hurting face and staring at his Kella.

"How could you become a lifemate to someone, knowing you could never give them what they wanted?" She yells as she stands up, intending on kicking him. But at seeing her move, Aja is quick in standing as well, holding her back.

"You have what you want!" Aja hisses back, trying to keep his anger down for getting hit.

"I want a child between you and me Aja! Is that so hard to understand?" She screams and rips herself away from him, needing to be away so not to hit him again.

"It is hard to understand. Not for me, but for you. How could you raise it? You cannot come with me, you cannot raise it here alone!"

"Why can't I come with you?" Kella turns around and asks point blank. Aja though cannot think of a true reason, other then the fact bad things may happen. "Not only do I not understand why I can't go with you, but why can't you stay here? I can't just be here for you to come and see once a season so you can mate with me a go!"

"It is not like that Kella, and you know that!" He growls back.

"How can I think it is anything else? When we became lifemates, I thought we were truly becoming lifemates. That we would be together until Cetanu takes us. But I am only your seasonal mate!" Kella cries out. "I want more Aja! I can't live with not having a child of my own, of having it grow in my belly and be born. I just can't be with a male that doesn't want the same things as me!" She turns around and runs up stairs, needing some time to think as her world seems to be crashing down around her. But not getting the message, Aja runs up after her, but not getting there in time before she closes the door to her room on his face. He knows not to burst in as the last time they had a fight and he did that, it just made it so much worse. He knows that his Kella wants pups form him, and to be true he was her to bare his children, nothing would make him prouder then to see have her womb hold his pup, but it cannot be. His people would never allow that to happen. He knocks on the door as he can here her crying, his instincts to go and sooth her taking over.

"Kella, please let me in…" He purrs, knowing he must be careful with his words.

"I need to be alone!" She cries back, her mind hurting hard from being so upset. How can she be with a male that does not want to give her everything, she wants to give him everything.

"I do not have time to give you Kella! You need to understand that can never happen."

"What do you mean it can never happen?" She asks as she suddenly feels vengeful. "Of course it can happen Aja. It doesn't need to be with you." She hisses through her teeth.

"Be careful of your words Kella.' He hisses back, anger brewing.

"I am careful of my words and actions, but you are not! Mating is different with Yautja, yes? Well, children are different for Oomans. Females do not always need to have males to reproduce, all we need is the seed and we are fine. I don't need you." She yells. "And besides, you seem to be making plenty of children for yourself!"

"Do not bring Atie into this!"

"I told you to never say her name in here!"

"Oh I will not only say Atie's name, but the name of my new daughter. She was born not two days before I left to come to you Kella." He hisses back, the same vengeful need in his system to. But both their minds not able to control their anger, telling them that they are soon going to cross a line they can never come back from. "Her name is Chi'Ka, and she is the most beautiful pup I have ever seen." Kella stares at the locked door in horror, beads of sadness falling down her face. She can barely remember to breathe, her lungs only moving from adrenaline. Aja on the other hand nearly smacks himself for saying such a thing, how could he have dangled the one thing she so wants in her face? He calls out to her after a moment, but can hear nothing. He pounds on the door, begging to be let in. If this goes on for to long, he will have to break down the door to talk with her. He does not have time to waste now that he is due to leave within the hour. After a few more times of calling her, he is just about to kick it open when the familiar scent of her blood wafts to him. Instantly scared for her safety, he slams through to find the room empty but bathroom occupied. He walks to the closed so with his gut twisting in pain, not know what she could have done for the smell of her blood to be so thick. He grasps the knob tightly and turns, throwing the door open. Staring back at him from the mirror, Kella stands with her back to him, but her front shown and what he sees makes him mind stop. She stands there with a small blade in hand, blood dropping both down it and her chest, a strip of skin where her once mark of lifemates has been cut off. He looks to the counter top to find the flap of skin sitting in a pool of blood, discarded completely. Aja looks back into the reflected eyes of Kella, both of them emotionless.

Aja turns his back to her now and walks out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Kella drops the knife in her hand, the loud sound of it hitting the ground making her flinch. She closes her eyes hard, a lump in her throat but she refuses to cry anymore. Opening her eyes, she stares at herself, her face hard but body shaking. Slowly she moves to wash and dress her new wound, only cutting her skin deep enough for the mark to go away completely. After dressing in clean cloths, her body working on its own as her mind has checked out, she exits the bathroom to find all of Ajas things gone, from his Awu'asa to the small pieces of jewelry he usually left in her home and even the communications device, the only thing she would have to talk with him gone. She goes down stares to find the same thing, or lack of things. He had taken the large pelt of fur he had gotten from a hunt earlier, it being a gift to her to keep her warm at nights. Kella sees Naxa laying on his bed staring at her, his large white tale whipping around behind him. But when he barks at her, she is filled with all the memories of Aja.

"What have I done?" She asks out loud and fast then she ever thought possible, she is out the door. Running like her life depended on it, she goes through the streets. Running past people and shops, her legs going so fast someone would think they are going to come off. Tears start to fall though when she sees the time, knowing that they should have left no more then five minutes ago. Turning the corner, Kella sees a great sight of the ship at the end of the 'No Mercy' street, but it is lifting off. Taking a deep breath, she starts running down the street itself, not caring if someone was to catch her. As the sound of the rising ship hits her ears, she screams out his name, wishing, hoping and praying that he may hear. But as Kella gets directly under it, and she screams his name once more, nothing happens other then the ship flying off into the sky.

"" "" "" ""

Seven-hundred and thirty days later…

Aja nearly begged his father to release him from his duty to go to the Ooman planet, but to his dismay he was not given that gift. As usual he had be his silent self since that day almost a season ago, but more then a little angry with all those around him. He had pushed away everyone for a very long time, refusing to talk to even his father about why his behavior had so suddenly changed. Every night he slept, Aja would see Kella standing before the mirror with blood everywhere, the mark that once stood for their 'love' cut from her chest. She must not have known what that meant to cut that off, but Aja knows deep down she must have. Cutting off ones mark means you cut off any and all ties to the other, forcing Aja to never speak to her again. Something like that never happens in Yautja society, but she is not Yautja. Aja had to do his part though, a consequence she caused him to do. What once was red now is blue, his lifemates mark now showing that his lifemate had died, and she may as well be.

Today is the day he is to set foot on the Ooman planet again, and from the day he was told he had to go, he has felt nothing but dread. What if he is to see her again? What will he do? Can he control himself? What does he need to control? His need for her or his anger with her? Aja will just have to wait and see, they are landing in just a moment.

"" "" "" ""

When the ramp falls to the ground, Elder Rhd and the others all have their attention to the large group of Ooman kneeling on the ground to one side of the 'M-di H'chak', the Caretaker at the front. Aja stares at Kella as complete misery grabs hold of him, his heart suddenly heavy and chest feeling like someone is sitting on it. When the group begins to move with Elder Rhd, he goes as well, having to or else everyone else would be disturbed. Once his father is across form Kella, he stop and turns to her, making the rest all stop too. Aja stands in the middle of the group, but is still able to see everything that is going on. Elder Rhd nods his head to the Caretaker, who nods her head back in greeting.

"This is the third time you have been on this street." Elder Rhd laughs wholeheartedly.

"Technically I am not on it." Kella smiles back softly, her mind dedicated to her task.

"So I see." He barks.

"I have a proposition for you, Elder Rhd." She says and bends down, bowing to him in a sign that she has a offer for him.

"Oh?" Elder Rhd barks in surprise. He takes off his mark and clips it to his side, wanting to show her that his full attention is on her.

"You once asked me if there are others like me, other caretakers and at that time there were none. But now there can be. I have trained the twenty-five Oomans behind me to do what I do, to protect the people around them." She starts.

"That is very honorable." He tells, Aja feeling horror in his gut rather then pride for his once lifemate.

"But there is one problem, Elder Rhd." She says sadly, knowing that what will come next will either make or break her plan.

"What would that problem be?" He asks and takes another step towards her, leaving only a few feet between the stranding Yautja and sitting Ooman.

"You see, the only reason I am alive is because you have given me this mark of protection, allowing me to get to this point of strength and skill. And now I beg your favor to do the same to them."

"You must be joking!" He roars in surprise.

"Please think, Elder Rhd. The hunters you have with you know they cannot hunt me, but now that they know I have trained others, they will hunt them. So one of two things will happen; One, you will not mark them and they will die. And two, you do mark them, today, and go on to protect many more people."

"I marked you, Caretaker, and only you. And it will stay being only you!" Elder Rhd hisses at her, making her stomach turn in fear.

"Then I will make you a deal…" Kella starts. She prayed that it wouldn't come to this, having to offer her life for her children but if she must, she will. "Mark them today to ensure their protection and when they are done their training completely, I will cut the sign from my head as I sit before you. I will give my right of protection up so they can go on to protect my people."

"You would trade your life?" Be asks bewildered.

"You may not understand Elder Rhd, but these are my children. I have been with them for over five years, training and being with them. I will do anything for them to be safe. They wish nothing more then to be what I am, a Caretaker. But they cannot be if honorable Yautja such as yourself hunt them." For more then a moment, Elder Rhd stands in silence, his eyes and her locked together.

"If I did not know you as I do, Caretaker Kella…" Elder Rhd starts. "I would look at this as Ooman stupidity. It is wildly known of how the Oomans cannot take care of themselves, even going so far as to destroy themselves. But I know you, and I know what you have done, this District a testament to that. Caretaker, I accept you proposition on the stipulation that these future Caretakers do exactly what you have. They must go to a District and when it becomes as prosperous as this one, they must train twenty-five more. And when they age, they will train more until every Ooman city has a Caretaker like you. Do you accept?"

"I do, Elder Rhd." Kella bows once more in thanks. The next few moments are a blur to her though. Elder Rhd stands up each and every one of her children and asks if they are dedicated to live up to her image, all of them saying yes. After no more then ten minutes, all of her kids are bleeding from their brow with marks just like hers, the mark of protection. When he is done, the Elder walks to stand in front of Kella again, making her stand up.

"When the time comes, tell Ooman Becks and he will contact me and I will be here for when you take your sign off, fulfilling our arrangement." Elder Rhd says rather sadly.

"Yes, Elder Rhd." Kella says, dropping her head in respect.

"Caretaker Kella, when that day happens, you and I both know what will come after that. But I will not allow any one to simply take such a worthy Ooman as yourself. You will be mine to claim, my kill, my hunt, my skull."

"It would be an honor." She says, this time going to her knees to bow. Elder Rhd nods to her once more before he leads the other Yautja down the street to pray before Paya.

"" "" "" ""

Just under four-hundred days later, Elder Rhd is called to the Bridge to have a conversation with the Ooman Backs, news of the Caretakers training of her children is complete. When the screen goes back, Elder Rhd stands in silence as so do all the others in the room, including Aja. He orders his helper to arrange a DropShip to go to the Ooman world, sadness evident in his tone as he does so. When Aja thinks his father is going to leave without another word, he asks him to follow, going into the Clan Ships conference room.

"Was it the right thing to do?" Elder Rhd asks as he sits down in his chair, it being to the left of the Clan leaders chair.

"What have you done?" Aja asks, trying to seem uncaring.

"With Caretaker Kella, with trading her life for her children's'. I should have just given them the mark and been done with it."

"She agreed to your stipulations father, she knows what she agreed too." Aja sighs, his heart cold to any emotion anymore.

"But should I have agreed to it?" After that Aja does not say anything, not wanting to say anything else to be true. Elder Rhd simply waves a hand, signaling for him to go away and he does to gratefully, not wanting to be in the room with the Yautja that will soon kill Kella.

"" "" "" ""

Elder Rhd stands in front of Caretaker Kella once more after all these days, her children behind her. He had intended to arrive alone, but when the Clan Leader and the other Elders demanded to be there, there is now more then a small audience there to watch her demise. Before Kella actually knelt down in the 'M-di H'chak', in front of the statue of Paya, they had a wonderful conversation. They spoke of everything from memories to what they hope will come from her children, Kella even asking for Elder Rhd to check in on every single one. But when the time finally came, being when the sun set and it hit the horizon as it is a sacred time, he gave her the same knife he used to mark her.

With a final nod to each other, Kella raises her hand to her head…

"" "" "" ""

Authors Note: Okay, here is what is going to happen: There are three chapters left in this story and they are alternate endings. The first is 'The Ugly', the second 'The Bad', and the last 'The Good'. I will get them out the moment I get the chance.

I know the lateness of my updates gets worse and worse and I would never want to pour out what is going on in my life, so all I will say now is that life is life.

A special thanks to:

On ff .net: OakTreeWoman and Oniqueen.

On aff .net: Death God Dist, prairiefire, chancelor22, shortestwarrior, Muse of Scrolls and Ehlonna Bloodstorm.

And lastly, where I have marked sentences with a (1) and a (2), those are quotes, the writers are listed below. I must add that I have altered the quotes a little as well.

(1) Sandman: The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman

(2) Erica Jong (b.1942)  
"Intuition, extuition..."  
How to Save Your Own Life, 1977

E.M.


	13. GBU: Part One

The History of Tomorrow

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

Part One: The Ugly.

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

This is short and sweet ladies and gentleman, the rest will be here in a day or two.

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

Kella raises her hand to her head and before she knows it, blood is dripping down her nose and chin. The world is suddenly so silent that the drips of red falling onto her chest plate echoes on the wind. With a final slice, Kella palms the small piece of skin, the strangeness of seeing it not on her making her mind wonder for a moment. But it is soon brought back to her next task, dying. Looking up to Elder Rhd, Kella finds his face to be full of emotion, his old eyes portraying sadness and mandibles down in a frown.

"It is done." Elder Rhd sighs. Kella stands up, letting her sign of protection drop to the ground before bowing to him, their fight starting.

"It was an honor knowing you, Elder Rhd." She says softly, a thick taste of blood invading her mouth.

"The honor was mine, Caretaker." He tells back. Unsheathing blades, they both move to the center of the street where on one side are the other Yautja, and her children on the other. She demanded that they be there for her death, saying such an honor to have the Elder take her as a trophy is something they should wish for. And so they watched with emotionless faces as Kella and the Elder begin their fight, the smell of Kellas blood soon becoming potent and thick.

"" "" "" ""

Aja sits alone in his room as the night of the Ooman planet slowly makes darkness take over the light, a strange line from the sun running across his scarred face. All day he had been touching his three scares as his Kella once did, but it did not feel the same. His fingers are callused and rough, hers soft and nimble. But also he had been feeling a rock of agonizing dread in his gut all day, Aja thinking to himself that he disserves to feel every bit of pain coming to him. Slowly moving his hand to his chest, he rubs his lifemate mark gently, not having the gall to cut it off himself. While most Yautja would remove their mark if their lifemate had removed theirs, Aja could not. Even as he would stand before a mirror, holding a blade to it, he couldn't. And he knows he will never be able too. He hadn't slept the night, unable to even think of it as he knew what would happen this day. He spent the day before standing alone thinking of his Kella, knowing that within a few hours she would be dead. And by his fathers hands. Elder Rhd had asked Aja to go down to the Ooman planet with him, saying that it would be best with the other Elders and hunters being there, but Aja refused, no matter how much he wished to go. And so now he waits in his room, the white and blue globe of Kellas world below him.

"" "" "" ""

A few hours later…

"Aja?" A gruff voice comes over the COM to his room. Instantly sitting straight, he says that he is in fact awake, fearing what is going on. "Elder Rhd wishes to speak with you in his residence." The person tells, Ajas stomach dropping at knowing what is to come. Telling that he will go, the contact leaves him and Aja takes his time in getting ready. He can't help but question if he should wear his Awu'asa, knowing his father will be angry with Kella and her marks. Without a doubt he has seen her scars, not only the mating marks on her shoulder, but the scar from where their lifemates mark once was. He decides on a semi-armor dress, metal over his chest and arms for protection, just in case. But even with the slight protection, as Aja gets closer and closer to his fathers deck, he can't help but acknowledge that he has never felt so nervous about going to meet someone, no one is ever going to make him as nervous as Kella. When Aja steps into his fathers' room though, he is not met with Elder Rhd, but the stench of Ooman blood. But not only Ooman blood, Kellas blood. Aja knows her scent to well, and instantly he looks around the room for her, in hopes of seeing her standing there, beaten but alive.

"Aja, this way." His father calls from his front sitting room. With heavy feet he goes, each step feeling as if it takes an hour to set down. But gradually he gets to the front where giant windows fill the room with the light from the stars. But it is not the window which Aja is looks at. Elder Rhd himself stands with his back to his son, blood on his arms and down his Awu'asa. But lying on his long table is the unmoving, lifeless body of his Kella, open and gaping wounding on her stomach and chest. Suddenly Aja can feel his hands shaking, his heart pounding in grief. But as his eyes roam up her tattered corpse to her face, his body nearly falls at seeing her once bright and blue eyes staring at him with not even a sparkle, the cold darkness of death deep in the color. Unknown to Aja, his feet had been moving slowly towards her until he falls to his knees beside her, a hand raising and closing her eyes tenderly.

"My Kella…" He whispers, lowering his head.

"I wondered to myself how I didn't know. When I first saw her markings of course." Elder Rhd starts and turns towards his grieving son. "She kept herself cleverly armored, hiding it all from me. But when I finally got her heart to stop beating…" He stops for a moment when Aja bends at the waist, his head resting on her stomach. "When she finally died and I began to strip her so I could take my trophies, I saw her shoulder. At first I thought that an over zealous Yautja may have tried to hunt her once, not knowing of her mark. But I soon saw them to be rather fresh, a few seasons old." Elder Rhd sighs and walks around to the other side of Aja, looking down at Kellas body. "And then I removed her chest plate and saw her scar. I saw where her lifemate scar was. Was. A mark like that does not simply imprint the skin, but also the soul. I could see the markings you left on her Aja, the mark of lifemates between you and her on her chest. Is it still on you?"

"Yes father." Aja answers, taking off his own armor to reveal it.

"When I saw that, when I saw that you and her were lifemates, I stopped my given right of taking my trophies in respect of my sons lifemate." He says.

"Kella stopped being my lifemate when she cut the mark from her skin." Aja growls, not at his Kella, but at the fact he let her do it without fighting for her.

"No Aja. No matter if she cut it off, she is still your lifemate. It marks the soul, Paya will see it when she looks at Kella." Elder Rhd smiles down at the body on his table for a moment, thinking of what Paya may ask Kella when she gets to her. "I never suspected a thing. It was not my right to ask where you had gone when we were on the planet. I wondered where you went, but now I know. We were mating with an Ooman female, Aja."

"…_were_…" Aja whispers to himself as he looks at his Kellas pale face.

"While not illegal, it is frowned upon. But you should have come to me my son, I understand why you became lifemates with her, I of all Yautja would have understood. But I do not understand why she cut off her mark..." Elder Rhd insinuates and sits down across from Aja.

"I denied her the most basic right of a female, to reproduce." Aja tells as he gently pushes a strand of her hair off her face.

"You know as well as I that it is nearly impossible for a pure Ooman female to produce a child with a Yautja, but it is possible." Elder Rhd offers.

"It is not possible now, is it?" Aja hisses to himself, his fist clenching so hard blood begins to drip as his claws dig into his palm. Elder Rhd gently cups his sons bleeding hand, calming him down.

"'_Remember those who earn to be remembered. Mourn for those who earn to be mourned. Honor those who earn to be honored. But remember yourself as well, never mourn that with the ending of one life, more remain to continue. More remain to honor their passing with the life given to them._'" Elder Rhd quotes the story of creation for his sons' misery. "Kella,"

"Father, please." Aja looks up, his eyes full of horrible sadness. "I know what Kella was, I know what I had and I know what was lost. Leave me to my sorrow." He asks, gaining a slight nod from the Elder who soon leaves him with the body of his Kella.

"" "" "" ""

Standing side by side, Elder Rhd and Aja watch with heavy hearts as Kellas ceremonial pod makes its way to her sun, the eccentric tube shaped box holding her body. It took less time then he thought for the rest of his Clan Ship to know of his and Kellas bonding, but he does not care any longer and says with pride that he did in fact share a lifemate mark with her. But as he dressed her body in the white fabric and marked her pod with blessings and prayers for Paya, he had stayed quiet, knowing that if his Kella were still there, she would not have liked him to be anything else but respectful of her death. Despite the fact that behind him are the many Yautja Kella had grown to know, Aja feels that it is only he who is watching Kella move closer to her sun. It is in Payas teachings that the bodies of her children are to be sent to one of her suns, their bodies turning to light so they will forever live. When Kella disappears into the brightness, the room slowly empties until only Aja and Elder Rhd are behind, both of them unwilling to move.

"You have to remember this moment as well as all the others, Aja." Elder Rhd starts. "All of the good that came from her, all that you learned of her and yourself must be remembered with all the bad that came from it as well."

"I know father." He sighs and finally closes his eyes from watching.

"As once said by the Her, for everything there is a season. Kella was a season for you, but seasons change." With that Elder Rhd places a gentle hand on his sons shoulder and gives it a slight shake before leaving him alone.

"" "" "" ""

For the rest of his life, Aja thought of his Kella, never letting anyone take her memory away from him. Strangely enough, Aja had gone back to that Ooman planet one last time to retrieve Naxa, their dog. One of Kellas children were there, Aaron, and it took little convincing for him to give up the white fluff. But Naxa died as well after some time, Ajas heart breaking once again at losing one of the last things he and Kella had. But the very last thing Aja had of his Kella was his lifemate mark, a mark that he had to paint red to signal that he is no longer in a mating pair. Every time he saw his father, Elder Rhd would remark that he looked no better then the last time, though Aja could not say the same for him. Age began to take its toll on the Elder Rhd, Cetanu taking him soon after Aja was appointed Elder to their clan. And until the very day the Black Warrior took him, Aja constantly thought about Kella, her being his last thought.

"" "" "" ""

Next: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

Part Two: The Bad.


	14. GBU: Part Two

The History of Tomorrow

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

Part Two: The Bad.

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

As Adam Becks stands shaking, he can feel his heart pounding in his chest, the beats so loud in his ears that he is barely able to hear Kella and the Elder talking about her children. He has been dreading this day for years now, ever since Kella had traded her life for the new Caretakers. But as he looks at her now, he feels a strange pain in his chest, his love for her never fading over the years. They had continued their weekly talks, Adam soon demanding to spend more time with her, Kella reluctant to but she gave in. And with each and every meeting, Adam knew that his feelings grew stronger. But the day her death became a matter of finishing her children's training, he wanted nothing more to go to her and say he won't let her do it, Kella still owning him a favor. However, as Elder Rhd and Kella talk like nothing is wrong, his mind keeps repeating over and over that he must do something, he has to do anything to stop it. But what?

"" "" "" ""

Kella bows her head to Elder Rhd and gently grasps his blade, the same one that was once used to give her the mark of protection is now being used to take it away. She raises her hand to her forehead and rests the sharp edge just at the base when a strong hand takes hold of hers, ripping the blade away. Kella twists her head to see who it is, her heart hoping it to be Aja, only to find Adam standing beside her, his face hard and placid. Kellas mouth opens, her lips moving but no words are coming out, her mind locked about what to do. Adam takes the knife from her hand and moves between her and Elder Rhd, his body a small barrier.

"Elder, I beg for you to spare her life." He says handing back the knife, hilt first of course.

"She and I have a deal, Ooman Becks. One that cannot be taken back." Elder Rhd sighs, Kella hearing a hidden tone of sorrow in his voice.

"The Caretaker is indebted to me, Elder, a favor is owed. One that I wish to take now." He tells. "I ask that Caretaker Kella allow me to beg for your favor, for you to spare her."

"How is that she has a debt with you, but you are asking something of me?" The Elder asks, though his heart has been beating strongly with hope that somehow he will not have to take Kella as a trophy.

"Because if you spare her life, and the Caretaker allows me to ask you to, then I will consider the debt repaid. Elder Rhd, I have deep and strong feelings for her, a love that makes me do this." Kella looks hard at the back of Adams head, tears of frustration and sadness dripping down her cheek. "You know as well as I that Caretaker Kella will do more if she lives, and I will do anything for her life."

"Even sacrifice yours?" Elder Rhd asks, though he is now only playing with the Ooman. The moment a male asks another to spare a females life, not only is that female forever attached to the male who asked to save her, but she is also saved no matter what happens next.

"Of course Elder." Adam bows his head and walks towards him slowly, thinking he is soon going to have a knife cut off his head.

"I do not wish to kill today." The Elder sighs amusingly and gently pushes Adam backwards. He stumbles on his ankles, Kella quick to stand up and catch him before he falls. She wraps her arms around his chest, holding him up as their faces go side by side, Adam staring right into her eyes. "I think it is a good match, Caretaker Kella. Having a male that will sacrifice himself…While common among Yautja, rare among Oomans. Rare indeed." He smiles a strangely all-knowing smile before he silently turns away from them. "I will contact you the next time I am near to your planet, Caretaker." He yells out after he orders all the watching Yautja to follow him, some more then a little disgruntled about not seeing her death.

"" "" "" ""

After Elder Rhd called for his son, he stands watching the Ooman planet slowly getting smaller as they move away, their business done for now. He was disappointed that Aja had not wanted to go witness the Caretakers demise, thinking that his son would have treasured seeing her die. But he guessed wrong. When the sound of his door fills the silence, he calls his son to the front room with him. But the moment Aja enters, Elder Rhd smells a strange scent of misery and fear filling the room. Turning swiftly, he sees a pained look on his sons face, Ajas eyes darting around the room for an unknown reason.

"What is wrong, Aja?" He asks.

"Did you hunt the Caretakers?" Aja asks firstly without answering the Elder.

"No, I did not." Elder Rhd smiles, along with Aja. "Why do you smile? I thought you and Kella were on bad terms." He laughs a little.

"We are. I just…" Aja looks directly at his father for a moment, his mind going over the same argument on whether to tell him everything. The argument not to wins. "I simply thought the Caretaker would serve the Yautja and Oomans better alive, rather then a memory." Elder Rhd bursts into an oddly joyous laugh.

"Ooman Becks said the same, just as he was begging for me to spare her life." He tells, Aja perking up suddenly.

"I suppose I should be angry…" Aja says to save face that he and the Caretaker have only bad blood between them.

"But I can see you are not. I know you and the Caretaker have issues, but knowing she lives to still be who she is, to live on in the future, it's rather…" Elder Rhd pauses, unable to think of the right word.

"Comforting." Aja sighs.

"That it is. Well, we will be back no more then three seasons, we will see her then." Elder Rhd laughs and sends his son out.

"" "" "" ""

"Why did you do that?" Kella cries out, pushing Adam to the ground. After sending away her children, she can't help but have a sense of anger about what happened. Inside she knows that she would have given up anything for Aja to have been the one to grab her hand and stop her.

"Because I love you Kella!" Adam yells and cups his jaw where she had previously punched him, thankfully she had pulled her punch though.

"Don't you dare say that." She hisses between her teeth, a taste of salt and tears invading her mouth.

"Why not?" He asks as he stands up and walks to be face to face with her, unafraid to be hit again.

"Because it hurts to hear someone say it and know they do not mean it." She cries out harder, her lungs hurting from breathing so harshly.

"How do you know I do not mean it? You don't know! From the moment I met you Kella, I have wanted you and even when I got you, it wasn't enough." Adam yells, his dark face turning a shade of red she has never seen from being angry. "You are not unconquerable. You would not have spent so much time with me unless you wished to have more, I know that, you know that."

"You know nothing Adam!" Kella screams out.

"I know enough." He whispers and gently grabs her shivering arms. Closing her eyes, Kella shakes her head and lets it fall forwards in defeat. "Kella. Kella please look at me." Adam whispers again and lifts her at the chin so their eyes are together. "Somewhere I know you felt the same for me, it just needs to develop." Slowly, he leans in until she can feel his hot breath on her quivering lips. But just as their skin touches, he pauses, needing Kella to go the rest of the way so he knows it is what he thinks. It took only a second before she moves in the rest of the way, their lips together again after all that time.

"" "" "" ""

Seven Ooman years or just under three Yautja seasons later…

For the first time he can remember after all things had come and gone, Aja stands beside his father with the now unfamiliar feeling of anxiously back in his gut. When news came to him that they needed to go back to the Ooman planet, he had asked himself many times if he should go back, but in the end it was not his decision. His father had demanding that he go in order to see Caretaker Kella, just hearing her name making his heart heavy. But as he watches the ramp slowly fall to the ground, his eyes search franticly for her but finds only the male Ooman his Kella had once mated with and a few others. He and the large group unhurriedly make their way to the Oomans, his father greeting Ooman Becks with a small bow of his head.

"Caretaker Kella had said she was going to meet me when I arrived." Elder Rhd smiles beneath his mask.

"She is changing Mynah." Adam smiles brightly, Aja wondering for a moment who Mynah is and why Kella would need to help that person.

"Jet! Jet get back here!" Kellas voice suddenly sounds, forcing Ajas body to quiver and heart to ache. Out of a close building, a young Ooman boy jolts out a door, running into the back of Ooman Becks legs.

"Daddy! Mommy can't catch my anymore!" He giggles, his small voice rather funny to Elder Rhds ears.

"You know Mommy can't run in her condition, Jet. You should listen to her. And you know you cannot run up to me right now." Adam scolds, setting the boy on the ground.

"I know Daddy, sorry." He pouts but it soon turns into a giant smile that reminds Aja of his Kella when a shrill giggle from an Ooman baby fills the air.

"I told you not to leave, didn't I Jet?" The softest, sweetest and most beautiful voice laughs. Aja watches with wide eyes as Kella slowly makes her way out of the building with a pup no bigger then his forearm on her hip, and a belly swollen with a growing child. Stopping immediately, Kella stares at him emotionlessly with her baby girl chewing on her fingers, the pup looking exactly like her father rather then her mother.

"I had no idea things would change so much." Elder Rhd bursts into a cheerful chuckle. "Caretaker Kella, you have been busy." He says as he walks to her. Kella rips her gaze from Aja to his father, smiling up at him rightly.

"It is good to see you, Elder Rhd." She says softly, bowing her head.

"So I guess this is Mynah?" He asks, Kella soon giving her daughter to Elder Rhd to hold. Mynah tries to grab the gentle slopes on his mask, but her tiny hands are unable to really hold on. Screaming a laugh, the little girl giggles and suddenly pounds her hands against his mask, everyone laughing at how similar she and her mother are. "The other one is Jet." Elder Rhd tells softly, looking back at the boy. "But this one…" He gently places his hand on Kellas large belly, his sensitive palm feeling the babies pulse and the movements perfectly.

"Another boy." Kella says triumphantly. "No name yet, but he is due any day." She tilts her with a small smile, melting Ajas heart once more.

"" "" "" ""

After the Yautja were done what they came to do, which was to once again get the Matriarchs approval, Elder Rhd and the usual crowd came to Kellas and Adams home for dinner, all of them demanding to have the great foods she once gave them. It took time, but Kella had everything there, from the old C'ntlip to kiwis. So when little Jet answered the door to find a group of ten giant Yautja, the very loud attempt to growl on his part was unexpected but funny. Kella invites them all in with Adam by her side, him holding onto her side as her pregnancy would make her rather tipsy. When Aja comes in though, all she can do is smile a barely noticeable smile, him also giving a small jerk of his mandible, that being the best he can do. During dinner through, it came to Kellas knowledge that not only had Pakka had another child in a long relationship with a female, but he had personally named the male pup Kiwi. It took a long time for Kella to stop laughing, though it was all in good spirit.

"What news has come from the other Caretakers?" Someone asks, making Kella so gravely quiet for a moment.

"In a few cities they did not go over well, but most have made their mark." She says softly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Three died within a year of each other. It was expected, but it still pains me." Kella cannot hold back her tears any longer and they freely fall down her face. "If you'll excuse me." She sniffs and tries to stand, having to get the help of Elder Rhd to stand up. She gently squeezes his shoulder in thanks and leaves to the kitchen to dry her tears and get a few more things to serve. But just as conversation between Adam and a few others begins to thicken, a small crash of plates makes them all stand up. "I'm alright!" Kella yells. "Same as last time." She laughs as the same thing had happened the last time they were all at her house for dinner.

"I guess as the same as last time, I will go check on her." Aja says suddenly and starts off down the hallway, everyone else sitting down. As he walks slowly, he looks out a far window to see Kellas son playing with their dog Naxa, the white fluff seemingly older as time has gone by. As he gets to the kitchen, Aja stops to watch her clean up a spilt drink, her sweet scent taking him over, as well as a new part smelling of her motherhood and pregnancy only making her seem more beautiful then ever. As Kella throws the soaked cloth into the sink, she feels an old familiar jolt in her stomach, a hand going to her large belly as she knows instantly that her Aja is watching. Slowly turning, she looks into his eyes to find them full of emotion, hers soon filled again with tears.

Taking slow steps, Aja gets closer and closer until he cannot get move any more, the end of her swollen stomach almost touching him. He raises a shaking hand and rests it on her pregnant belly, Aja having to try his hardest not to purr at feeling the heart beat, his stomach falling in dread at the fact that the pup in her is not his. Kella places one of her small, soft hands on his, both of them silent for a moment. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Kella can feel her insides twist in happiness at her Ajas scent again, but at the same time they turn in sadness. Suddenly she feels rough fingers move beneath her hand, Aja soon gently grabs her face, tilting it upwards. He leans down with their eyes locked until Kella feels the unbelievable tingling of his mandibles as they drag across her lips, her knees nearly giving out.

But just as soon as it starts, it ends. Aja stands tall and backs up a step, giving her a respectful bow at the waist before leaving her in the kitchen to cry.

"" "" "" ""

As the years and seasons pilled on, Aja and Kella never saw each other again. Her children prospered, both the one she gave birth to and the ones she adopted. Elder Rhd visited often, her children calling him Uncle Rhd. But as she aged, Aja never left her mind and thoughts. Aja also flourished, his rank soon going from Second to Elder within fifteen seasons, something unheard of until that day. Mockingly though, Elder Rhd was there the day Kella died from time, her body giving in as she slept. Elder Rhd had immediately told all she called her friends in the world of the Yautja, almost every single one she had ever met going to her funeral.

Standing in a line, Adam and his three children place their hands on their mothers pod before it is sent to their sun so she can live on in the light, all of them silently praying for Paya to judge her fairly and rightly. Behind them are all the Yautja and Oomans who came to watch. All the Yautja and Elders, including Aja, wearing their ceremonial Awu'asa to show respect for the fallen Caretaker. Elder Rhd laughed wholeheartedly when Aja gasped at seeing her three children all grown up, even with the adoptive ones bloomed into their fully grown Ooman life, they didn't seem the same at all. Once the family was done, it took more then an hour for the rest of the gathering to say their last goodbyes and prayers for Paya, Aja unable to say anything at all, his hand and mind frozen for a minute as he stood above her lifeless body. When Kella disappeared into the sun, Adam thanked all who had come, soon after that though almost everyone began to leave.

"Adam." Elder Rhd bows his head in respect for his friends' loss.

"Thank you." Adam says in a guff voice, his age turning both his mind and body rather gray. "Come say hello." He ushers his kids over. Aja slowly makes his way to his fathers' side, not really listening to the conversation going on, but the words are in his ears.

"Well, it is good to see Aja following in his mothers footsteps." Elder Rhd thrills.

"I'm sorry, what did you say father?" Aja blurts, his fathers' words not making sense.

"I must have forgotten to tell you." The Elder laughs. "Elder Aja, meet Kellas' youngest son, Aja." He laughs and points out the young male standing next to Adam. Nearly as tall as his shoulders, Aja looks at the young man who is the spitting image of his mother, red hair, blue eyes and a physic a Yautja would be envious of, the male equivalent of Kella.

"It is an honor to bare your name, Elder Aja." Aja, Kellas son, bows to him.

"It is mine." He says, bowing his head slightly. "Your mother and I had a tenuous relationship to say the least, but she was an honorable female." Aja tells softly.

"My mother didn't speak of you often, Elder Aja." Her daughter Mynah says, her voice sounding exactly like Kellas but looking like her father. "But when she did, she had only the best things to say."

"Pity I never got a chance to thank her." Aja sighs, looking at his father for a moment.

It didn't take long for a dinner party to be planed in Kellas honor, the Yautja and Oomans sharing stories of her all night. Aja on the other hand spent the nearly the whole night thinking of his Kella, remembering her scent and sound, the feeling of her skin on his and the sadness the day she cut their sign of being lifemates off her chest. He knew he could not stay mad at her, his anger for what she did dieing long ago. But with the celebration of her life going on around him, Aja soon found himself to be the only one that had not told a story of her, the spot light quickly on him.

"With I first met her, I was going to kill her. More then ten Yautja sent to kill a Bad Blood ran after her, but her speed and knowledge of this great city out smarted them all. All but me, of course." Aja laughs, as do all the others. "We jumped over buildings, over people going their days tasks until we came to a space to far to jump. But being the female she is, Kella fastened a plan that got her across safely, and in the process, she saved me from falling to my doom." He reveals for the first time, everyone going quiet. "I have a single token to remind me of her now." He slowly takes out the pearl pendant from his side pouch, letting it hang from his hand in the light so everyone could see. "It hung from her neck, its beauty almost as great as its owner, but not quite. When Kella and I were not fighting," He starts, making a few laugh as he puts her necklace back in its spot. "She and I had a silent respect for one another. A respect that is now common place between all Yautja and Ooman. To Caretaker Kella!" He says and raises a glass, everyone joining in.

"" "" "" ""


	15. GBU: Part ThreeEpilogue

The History of Tomorrow

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

Part Three: The Good.

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. While I for one am someone who thinks a writer should never tell the reader to much of themselves and their life, I think you guys deserve an explanation. I got engaged! I'm getting married! The past months have been a whirl wind of things that would take a whole story on AFF to tell, so maybe one day I will write it. But for now, on with the last and final ending of 'The History of Tomorrow'.

E.M.

"" "" "" ""

Aja has been pacing in his room ever since he refused his father to go down to the Ooman planet to watch his Kella die, his entire body cruelly shaking uncontrollably. For an unknown reason, every time he passes his Awu'asa he is drawn to it. His eyes focus in on the armor intently, his body turning towards it slightly as he walks by. By the hundredth time Aja does so, his mind roars for him to go to it, his heavy footsteps filling the silent air. Aja grabs his mask and stares at it harshly, the dark metal aged with scratches and dents that would take him years to tell the stories of. But it is not the mask that his mind is urging him to get. He places it back onto its hook before letting his hands trail down his Awu'asa, his callused fingers grazing over the cold metal all the way to his belt. His hand feels as if it is being pulled to his small pouch, his claws soon ripping it open. But when he brings it out, the most striking white stone hangs off a chain, Kellas necklace once again mesmerizing him.

'_Go to her…_' A strong voice in his head commands, Ajas body jolting in shock. '_Go to Kella!_' The voice screams now. Far be it for him to not listen to himself.

"" "" "" ""

"Promise me." Kella smiles up to Elder Rhd, his height seemingly less every time she meets with him.

"I promise to check on your children, Caretaker." He smiles behind his mask at her dedication to the new Caretakers. "I know that they are going to many different cities, but what about this one, what will happen to Acropolis?" He asks.

"Aaron will take the Alpha District, another will take the Beta and another the Delta. This whole city has a Caretaker for every district. I cannot say the same for other cities, but we must start somewhere." Kella sighs, her heart scarily calm and rhythmic to the Elders ears.

"They will be as successful as you, I know." He says smugly.

"Do you know something I don't, Elder Rhd?" She laughs.

"Well, I am sure they will because you have trained them. If they had the best, they will be the best."

"I thank you for your kind words." Kella says and bows low to show respect. "It is time, Elder Rhd." She reminds him at the sun hits the horizon. Turning slowly, his mind wishing silently that the sun never set, the Elder simply nods and palms his knife.

"Caretaker Kella, honor and admiration precedes all you are and all you do. Let your name never be forgotten and your deeds to never wilt with their impact. I will ask of Paya to listen to your words of wisdom, to look into your past and see all you have done for your species and to find the many things I did that make you such an astonishing female. Caretaker Kella, are you ready to end our dealing?"

"I am." She says bluntly. With a small nod to each other, Elder Rhd reluctantly hands her the knife, Kella grasping it without blinking. As they wait for the right moment, a strange shock echoes in her stomach, the thought that her dread and sadness has finally found her entering her mind. When the sun at last hides itself, she begins to raise the sharp edge of the blade. But in midair the familiar noise of a shuriken flying sounds, the silence as breakable as glass. Before she can react, the round spinning weapon hits her hand, cutting her palm slightly but causing the knife to fall to the ground. Everyone watches the shuriken spin in the air until it turns around and flies back to who threw it, their heads slowly turning to look down the road. What Kella sees makes the strange jolt to her stomach understandable, Aja running towards them from a far distance. But as she begins to feel betrayed and hurt, anger once more brewing in her mind, Kella squints her eyes at him and the next thing she knows she is grabbing one of her own shurikens and it is soon on its way towards her Aja.

Elder Rhd stands motionless for a moment, not knowing what to think, everything slowing down to stop. At first his mind is telling him that his son would rather kill the Caretaker, but if Aja had wanted to, he would have had to wait for the sign to be cut from her skin. But he had purposely stopped Kella from doing that, so that must not be it. However, when Kella opened her own weapon and thrown it, he became even more confused. She must think that he is attacking her, so she must retaliate.

Aja on the other hand watches is pure shock as his Kellas' weapon whirls its ways towards him, the sharp sound barely hearable as he is not wearing his mask. Waiting until the last moment, he simply steps to the side and watches the shuriken fly by, his eyes now intent on his Kella. Moving his feet faster, Ajas mind does not know what to do next. He has stopped her from taking her sign of Protection off, securing her to be safe. But what now?

'_Now you have to go to her…_' His mind whispers. '_Hold her again, feel her again, have her again._'

Kellas body begins to run on its own accord, her mind momentarily absent from what she wants to do. On one side her mind wishes to run into his arms, on the other her anger wants to slice him in too many pieces to count. Her hand reaches down and grabs the staff once intended for when she and the Elder were to fight, Kella planned on fighting and giving him a challenge to take her as a trophy. But now, she wants nothing more than to get Aja, to thrust her staff into him, to rip him apart just he had ripped her apart when denying her a family with him. As they get closer, Aja pulls out his staff as well, his only means of defense as he has not worn his full Awu'asa, only very few weapons available to him. Lifting up her staff, she leans back to impale the sharp tip into his chest when he merely swings his own, hitting hers to the ground. Before she can react, Aja literally runs into her, lifting her in his arms as he throws his own staff away. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, Aja holds her against his chest, his heart pounding with happiness. But Kella, despite loving the feeling of him, despite the smell of him taking over, despite that she has wanted nothing more over the years then to have him like this again, starts fighting back. She plants her hands on his shoulders and tries to push away, but her strength immediately disappears when her Aja begins to purr, the deep resonating sound making her lungs quiver and mind calm. Slowly, she wraps her own arms around his neck and holds tight, her head placed back into the nook of his neck that is perfect just for her.

"AJA!" Elder Rhd yells, forcing Aja to look up. He had expected his father to want answers, but when he sees Elder Rhd simply pointing behind him, he turns his head to see Kellas shurikens quickly coming back towards them. Knowing he does not have time to catch it, Aja twists in the air so his back is towards the weapon and jumps towards the ground, the sharp blades barely missing his head. Careful not to put too much pressure on his Kella, Aja holds his body weight with one arm, his face just above hers. Slowly she opens her eyes, her grip becomes iron tight around his neck, but he wouldn't move for anything at this moment.

"My Kella." He purrs and drags those treacherous mandibles over her lips, her hot breath tickling the sensitive skin of his mouth.

"My Aja." She says back and smiles up to him. Sitting up suddenly, Aja brings her body with him until Kella is sitting on his lap, both of them unwilling to unclamp from each other. Both are feeling a strange sense of drowsiness in their heads, their eyes closing slightly as they stare at each other. At that moment, everything goes quiet, not the wind whistling is heard as only the sound of their breathing and hearts beating are important. Kella slides one of her hands up his neck slowly, only to let her fingers trace up the scars on his face, Aja purring instantly at the feeling. Where only a few years ago the thought of Aja would make her physically sick, now it makes the yearning and need for him stronger.

"While I know…" Elder Rhd begins, making them slowly turn their heads to him, Kellas once air born weapon in his hand. "Actually, I don't know. What is this?" He asks, both of them noticing that the Elder had walked closer towards them. But his words are barely registering, neither of them wanting to acknowledge him in case it may break their bond at that moment. So instead of speaking, Aja moves almost mystically and rips off his small metal chest plate, declaring his lifemate mark to the world. He knows instantly that behind his mask, his fathers' mouth is falling in complete shock. Slowly and almost being careful, Elder Rhd approaches and kneels down beside Kella, her only reaction being to hold onto Aja harder, not that he is complaining. With a suspicious hand, the Elder reaches for Kellas chest plate, it soon revealing both her scar where her lifemate mark was, and the bite mark his son had given her the first time they mated. Looking down, Elder Rhd wordlessly stands and swipes his hand at all the Yautja that came to watch, some of the Elders in attendance not wanting to leave, but at the word of Elder Rhd, they do. Even Kellas children are commended to leave as well, all of this happening with her and Aja not noticing.

"I'm sorry." Aja purrs into her ear, a mandible caressing her earlobe. The next thing he knows, his mind is further shot into the bliss of being with her as Kellas arousal hits his senses. Leaning his head back in ecstasy, he groans loudly and digs his claws into her back, her hissing in a wonderful mixture of pleasure and pain.

"No, I'm sorry." She says after pulling his head back so their eyes, while half lidded, look into each other. "I over reacted and did something very stupid."

"Yeah you did." Aja agrees, laughing a little when Kella slaps his shoulder gently.

"What are you two apologizing for, may I ask?" Elder Rhd cues in, finally gaining their full attention.

"We were…" Kella starts off, her words soon gone after she doesn't know what to say, but the Elders knows and asks for what happened.

"I denied her children, and so she denied me being her lifemate." Aja breathes out in a whisper, him not quite confident that if he says it out loud, it might happen again.

"My first child, my second in command and my most trusted friend, has a lifemate that I didn't know of." Elder Rhd says strangely. "The Ooman pup I helped, the young woman who found my trust, and the Caretaker that inspired so many, is that lifemate. Why would you hide this from me?" He asks accusingly. "Me of all Yautja would understand your connection, but did you two so greatly fear me that you would hide it?" They don't know what to say, both Aja and Kella speechless. But as their mouths move in an attempt to say anything, Elder Rhd simply walks up to her and grasps the side of her head gently in his hands. "Caretaker Kella, while hurt that you hide this, it is overshadowed by happiness." Kella places a shaking hand over his and smiles up at him.

"" "" "" ""

"Hello?" Aunt Ellen peeps when she hears a thud coming from upstairs, Kella asking her to be at her house as she goes to die. Her hands begin shake in fear as another loud noise jolts. She looks to Kellas dog Naxa, his giant self sleeping on his giant bed. "Great help you are, mutt." She hisses through her teeth, the dog snoozing away. Taking small, silent steps, Aunt Ellen makes her way into the kitchen, grabbing a very long knife from a drawer. Nearly dropping it at another dull sound, she forces herself to stop and breathe, her mind going over and over the fact that anyone who is stupid enough to break into Kellas house is deserving of pain. Her toes seem numb as she climbs the stairs, her ears straining to hear anything else other than her own heart beats and breaths. As she gets to the large door, she grasps the knob with her hand trembling. Just then she hears a small, but distinctly male laugh, her anger now over running her fear as she smashes through the door. But while Aunt Ellen expected robbers, Ooman robbers, she gets a large Yautja lying on Kellas white bed. Slowly, the marked face of the male turns to her, his large hands holding a little white bra. It takes a moment of silence, both her and the Yautja staring at each other, before she matches Kellas description of Aja to the male in front of her.

"YOU!" She hisses and rises up the knife.

"Kella!" He barks quickly and jumps off the bed, backing slowly towards the bathroom door.

"There is no more Kella!" Aunt Ellen cries out and starts for him. "You ruined her!" She screams.

"AUNT ELLEN!" A memorable voice yells out almost harshly, but at the same time funnily. Aunt Ellen stops in her tracts, knife high in the air, when the bathroom door opens and Kella walks out with cloths in her hands. With no words between them, she drops the bundle and runs hurriedly into her aunts' arms, the knife dropping to the ground.

"I thought you were dead…" The older woman mumbles, tears starting to fall.

"Almost." Kella giggles back. "But I am leaving."

"What?" Aunt Ellen leans back, staring in shock at her niece.

"I'm going with Aja and Elder Rhd. In order to gain back my right to wear our lifemark, I must go before a council of Elders." Kella begins, still holding on tight.

"She knows all the Elders anyways, so," Aja starts, but stops instantly when Aunt Ellen points at him accusingly and hisses and strong 'shhh'.

"Everything is already set up for me to go." Kella turns and grabs more clothing from her closet, throwing it on her bed. "I just…I just need to go!" She giggles funnily.

"Naxa.' Aja howls, the dog bounding up the stairs in a second.

"Now you move." Aunt Ellen scolds the hound, but he doesn't seem to notice as he and the Yautja begin to reacquaint themselves. Just then they hear a ruckus outside, all of them looking out her window to see Elder Rhd and a few others stepping out of a large Yautja vehicle. "So that's Elder Rhd, hm?" She asks loudly, causing all the Yautja below them to look up.

"We do not have a lot of time, Caretaker." An Elder yells up, the rest of them laughing slightly.

"I'll be right down." Kella says and grabs both Aja and Aunt Ellen by the arm so they can help her pack.

"" "" "" ""

The next weeks are a blur for both Kella and Aja. She had left her world quietly, only saying goodbye to very few people. Her family, all of her children and Mercedes were all there to say goodbye, and all of them emotional but Kella. She knows she will be back and they do too, but it still hurts none the less. The small ship on which she left on was filled with the few friends she gained among the Yautja, all more than a little shocked at the news of her Ajas' lifemate status. The Clanship ordeal is something Kella whishes to forget. The first thing that happened was an Elder challenging Ajas honor for taking an Ooman mate. But to her surprise, so many other Elders joined Ajas fight that not only did the challenging Elder back down, but he left his standing as Elder as well. Elder Rhd wouldn't tell her if it was of his own will to leave, or if there was an outside influence. The actual gathering of the council was more of a formality rather than a true judgment of anything. One thing that caused Kella great distress was getting her lifemate mark back on, because they had refused to let her get back the original. The mark she had replaced indicated that she was not only a part of their clan, but that she had removed her first one, a mark of slight dishonor on her part. In the end however, Kella and Aja went into his room and became as they once were, as it always should have been.

"" "" "" ""

The History of Tomorrow

Epilogue.

Authors note: I claim no ownership of the Predator franchise. Warning: Yautja/Ooman pairing, descriptions of sexual intercourse and murder/death, and bad language. I will be using some information previously stated in 'The Ripple of a Stone', if any questions, please email me. Pronunciations at bottom. Good reading!

E.M.

Authors Note: The curse of the last chapter got me and I am not happy with it, even after writing more than four different version of this last ending. I have decided to squish the last ending and epilogue together, though both are shorter, less evolved and (in my mind) of lesser grade then my other works. I don't know why, but as I sat day in and day out trying to write this, I didn't want to let it finish. But here is the last chapter. Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing, and I may start something new with all the things I couldn't include in this story. Thanks.

"" "" "" ""

"How long will you spend in that bathroom?" Aja huffs as he waits, drumming his fingers on his muscled arm in the hallway. "She is here, and She wants to meet you, and you are going to be late!"

"I will bet you anything that She will know what it means to be fashionably late." Kella giggles. But with his last ounce of patience gone, he rushes into the large bathroom, the sun light beaming through the large windows making everything in the room glow, however Kella has a natural glow happing all on her own. At seeing her body dressed in traditional Yautja fabric, Aja has to admit that the time it takes for her to get ready is well used. Even the small stoned hair pieces are breathtaking on her beaming red hair. Slipping on the last earing, Kella turns towards her Aja with a smile. "How do I look?" She asks.

"Perfect." He purrs.

"You know, with all these pieces of fabric on me, I feel kind of like a Caesar in Rome. All I need is a crown of leaves and I am set." Kella sighs and straightens the pale blue dress.

"A Caesar? What is a Caesar?" He asks and walks behind his Kella to look at her in the mirror.

"A Caesar is a Roman emperor who was in control of the giant city." She tells softly, still fidgeting in her clothing. "He was envied as a God, worshiped as a God and, most of the time, acted like a God. A spoiled God. Some were great, they were worthy of being worshiped for their deeds."

"So what about Caesar?" Aja asks, his arms wrapping carefully around her waist, a hand resting on her swollen belly.

"For his name?" Kella asks, shocked that her Aja would want an Ooman word for the name of their child. "You father wanted so much for his grandsons name to be Rhd as well. He was the one after all that convinced the healers to help me get pregnant."

"He will get over it." Aja laughs. "Hurry, we are already late!" He grabs her and starts leading her out of their residence. The halls of the Clan ship are known to Kella now, but as they travel between their ship and the Common Ship, the largest of all ship where all the clans congregate, their halls are much more confusing. But traveling fast, she doesn't have the chance to look at all the wondrous things on the ship, there is so much history hanging on the walls, so much written in the books protected under glass, so much to know and understand, at a later time though. Taking a small break to breathe, Aja and Kella stand in silence as her swollen feet begin to pulse in pain. With more urging, he finally gets her to move by picking her up, the long distance they still needed to go seemingly short as his body moves so fast. When the crowds start though, he sets her down so she can enter the gathering hall on her own and together they walk side by side in.

"Caretaker Kella!" Elder Rhd beams at seeing her. "You are coming along perfectly." He says and places a giant hand on her growing belly. "You still have a long way to go, my grandson." He laughs.

"So, where is She?" Kella asks, nervous to be meeting the greatest female huntress of all the Yautja.

"She is exiting Her ship now." Elder Rhd tells. "But I do have one question, do we call him Rhd the Second or just Rhd?" He chuckles.

"Actually neither." Kella says gently. After this whole meeting, she knows that Elder Rhd will have more than a few words to say.

"" "" "" ""

As the years piled on and the long life given got shorter and shorter, Kella and Aja spent what they could together. After getting a blessing from the great huntress, they had their son, another son and two daughters. But as Kella grew older as well as her children, they grew at such a slower rate than normal that died of old age, they were still only in their teens. She had gone to her home world many times, the deaths of her uncle and aunt something she had to go back for. The last time she had talked to Mercedes before she was whisked away rich Ooman business man, was something about a bath and winning a bet, but Kella refused to pay up. Though it doesn't matter any longer. Most of her children flourished in their new roles, some had died in their struggle to bring up the lives of Oomans, but there was and is always more being trained to take over what must be. Her old friends died away without much to do, even Adam fell to times attack. The world of the Yautja was something Kella could never enter. She was refused her request to be allowed to hunt. She was refused everything but to be a good mother, which she was just fine with. When Kella died however, all her loved ones were by her side. Elder Rhd stood beside her and wished once more for their Goddess Paya to be fair with her. After her body was sent into the sun, Aja and his children worked for many, many years for Ooman rights to be recognized until one day it was law that Oomans and Yautja were equal, relatively. Her name as Caretaker was never forgotten and her deeds never became less important. Caretaker Kella and her life was remembered in stories, it was seen as something to envy, to achieve in one's own life. Her history became not a legend, not a myth, but truth of everything that can be.

"" "" "" ""

Authors Note: Well, there you go. Nice set up for a sequel, don't you think?

Now, I have to apologize for not thanking all those who have reviewed as I usually do. I had lost access to a computer for a long time and had to send my work to a friend to post.

And so it ends. My concentration goes back to other things and another chapter of 'Ripple' will be us as soon as my fingers get it out.

Thank you to everyone who read this, reviewed this and loved it or even hated this.

E.M.


End file.
